Six Green Chairs
Six chairs sitting out on the wet green lawn
Always makes me feel interested, even hopeful
That people are coming, that a call has been sent out
And thus seating has been prepared
For the arrival of the six
I never know if they will arrive together as a group
And appear each before his or her chair waiting
Patiently, even with a touch of nerves, for the other to settle in
For the chairs are all equal, equally comfortable
Identically built Adirondack chairs, each deep hunter green
And all facing each other over a central green oval
Of lawn, a kind of carpet between and before them
So when these counselors or visitors or
Whoever they turn out to be, whenever one speaks
All can easily take in what the other has said
That is, the spacing between chairs is such
You might even call it intimate
Though no touching will be allowed
The aim being to promote for me a kind of
Neutral thoughtfulness and advice, steady counsel
Of the kind I need right now here on the porch
Where I am surveying the arrangements …
Now if they arrive to sit on my six green chairs separately
Appearing one by one, as I think will be the case,
Each can sit anywhere, for as I’ve emphasized
All the chairs are exactly alike on the green lawn
I don’t know quite why it is so important
That the chairs be identical, for clearly
I don’t want the six arrivals to be identical
To be cut from the same mold, to say the same old things
I need them in fact to have six different views
About my life, the choices I will make today
And in the days to come, whom I will love
And whom I will shun, who help, who ignore
Even if I live or die, a choice, if you think about it,
That is operational on the bio-mechanical level
Second to second, moment to moment, well, of course
So much is at stake, so much is to be discussed
A diversity of views seems to me critical
If any approach, consensus, or even useful
Advice or direction will be forthcoming.
Once I had seven chairs gathering
But one fell apart, the one now in the shed
But that’s okay, an odd number was never needed
As a vote was never intended to be taken
And the six look to me just right, actually quite perfect
Six chairs, maybe like the ones used originally
For a little rest after each of the six days of creation?
Where a little catnap, a snooze after daily exertions
Was taken before the official day of rest, and why not?
Just because we don’t know about it?
Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen
After all it’s so beautiful out here this morning
So much glistening, and fresh, so much to be coordinated
That’s why this morning’s gathering is so critical
Why the chairs must be set up just so
A hodgepodge of different chairs, an old rocker
Or the broken-armed one that could be dragged in
From the shed, those would be no good at all
For all the reasons I’ve explained
They would diminish the effort that needs to be made
One mismatched or unmatched choice could
Threaten the hope their presence brings
And that is why the six green chairs sit
On the wet green lawn this morning
In their patient circle, waiting, along with me.