Hosting

I.

I'm up before you
of course
and pleased with the summer morning
sunny and breezy
that will welcome you
when you wake
and then you do
and I am
striving for lightness
and seating everyone around the table
though I can see now
its really wedged here
and too tight
in this corner
and suddenly its thundering
and then raining
and its dripping on you
and everyone
and I am rolling closed windows
bumping heads
and invading space
awkwardly
seeing to your comfort
but making a mess
and having to talk too much
and move too much
and explain too much
I don't know how it got from my intent
to be quiet
and graceful
inviting your space
to join the presence of my space
relaxed
and roomy
to this

II.

But of course there is the rest of the room
all beyond us
and I think
with great relief
here is the thing I forgot
here is where its easy now
just spread out
and I invite you all
to do it
you here
to this yellow chair
and you here
to the corner of the soft blue couch
nestle in
and you
over here
to the old rocker
it suits you
all of us
can expand into it
further in
and leave the storm
to nag the windows
and table
we can leave it to its own
cold and dripping
self

III.

But of course
since this is the way things go
there will be a nearly invisibly
but clearly saturated
spot on the rug
something offal
and foul
and soaking
so far beyond what you can do
with your dishrag to help
and that rocker
will keep loosing a stay
and catching on the wall
there isn't really room for a rocker
in here
and the couch is
too old and dusty for you
its soft depths
and fabric
a bane for your back
and nose
and I have to think
who would choose to populate
a room in this way

IV.

And of course
that's the point
no one
populated it
it just
came to be this way
over a long time
it just happened this way
that's all
and some of you
are going to get up
and help
and move the table out
away from the windows
and dry it
and pull the rocker in
and I will tend to the horrible spot
and smell on the rug
though I think it is
your dog that did it
and some of you
will be irritable
and know
your good time
is ruined
and I leave you
to yourselves

this is still
my good space
and I am home here
and I still
invite you
to join my space
in whatever way you want
have your own
good time
or pack up
and go home
I'll still love you
and send you postcards

V.

about when the rain stopped
and we went and picked blackberries
washed clean
for the oatmeal
and caught worms
for fishing
and got the picture
of us all on the dock
with a double rainbow

and the yellow hydroplane
flying through it.