A Lonely Chair

A lonely chair sits,
waiting,
just like that last step on the stair permits itself to be missed,
when children, too eager for the ground, bound forward
toward the back-porch door.
It does not creak as they squeal and squeak, mid-leap, above it.
Nor will the nearby chair, still waiting, make a single sound in protest.
The light makes fun of it's wooden frame,
the same way rain will tease the breeze that Mother prayed for.
"Washing's on the line," she'd whine, and straight away look sunward for the time.
The bitter cloud that spits upon her linen, white and useful,
also shifts to pass the pane the window's used for,
casting shadows on that grateful wooden chair,
bare, but crafted with more care than Grandpa's ever dared to share.
The children tag and chase, excitement stained upon each face;
no rain could ever wash these games of war or space exploring
clean from youth's eager embrace.
Each drop falls harder now and these trees provide no shelter
as plans of lands to conquer tumble down, all helter-skelter.
Ah, but now Father's here
and tricks and dares are quickly quashed in fear
Like ants we squash without a care.
Forgotten is the joy that sprung before
as little feet trudge wet across the floor.
Marching up that lonely bottom stair
to where, no doubt, a shower's been prepared
so as to wash the leaves and twigs and tangles from their hair.
One floor below, Mother sighs and rests back
in her lonely wooden chair,
The one her Pa made,
but never quite finished it's pair.

Q&A:

What is time?

What is the sun?

What are seasons?

What is in space?

How big is space?

What is beyond the end of space?

Why are things, like the universe, so big?

Why are things, like germs, so small?

What is it to be human?

What is it to be inhuman?

Why is wealth relevant?

Why is poverty relevant?

Why does war exist?

Why is peace a fantasy?

Why is inequality accepted?

What is God?

Why do followers of God commit the most ungodly acts?

Why do followers of God help people that others refuse to?

Why are there so many translations of God?

Where is God?

Does God exist?

Why do people pick and choose which parts of the Bible they accept?

Why do people pick and choose which people are superior?

Would you survive in the 1600’s?

Are you gay?

Are your poor?

Are you a woman?

Are you white?

Are you an illegitmate child?

Does it matter?

Why do the stars never move?

Why is there no oxygen in space?

If there was oxygen in space, would we be able to conquer the universe?

Why doesn’t one country, if capable enough,

just blow up another one instead of warring the way they do?

What happens when we die?

What happens when we are conceived?

What happens to us when we are abused, assaulted, molested or ostracized?

What happens inside our brains?

Who created a brain?

If animals spoke as humans do, would we still own pets?

If trees had rights, would we let them grow for longer?

Why is suicide the only option for people sometimes?

Is revenge the reason we will never know Utopia?

Would inventors and pioneers of the past laugh or cry at our world today?

If you got hit by a car, or your plane crashed, or someone murdered you tomorrow,

how many people would care?

If the world ended at midnight, what would you do today?

Are you proud of who you are?