In the Shaker House
In the shaker house,
in the bedrooms,
there are two rows of chairs,
facing each other,
a conversation place,
close enough to hit each other,
but no one does.
I do not imagine
every one agreed.
but somehow each night
they settled in their chairs
seeking peace in a careful combination
of words not chosen
for their ability to wound,
but to heal.
About the poem
The pictures were taken at the Hancock Shaker Village in the Berkshire Mountains.
The poem is a lament for what has happened to public and private discourse over the past few years.
Tom
Quarry House 
Tom, this is such a powerful statement on where we are and where we need to go to bring healing to our communities and our nation. Thank you for your creative insight and for sharing in such a timely way.
Thank you. I just write what I feel. At times, I get it right.