Here is a poem, written by singer/songwriter Bernice Lewis, about Chris.  It was originally published in the TRE Quarterly in February 2006.

“I had the great privilege of living with the Matthews family a few years ago while teaching at Colorado College.  I fell in love with all of them and am deeply saddened by Chris’ passing.  I’ll be back this spring and will sorely miss his company.  I wish I could have been at the service…he was a special spirit!
From the far reaches of the east coast -Bernice Lewis”

Christopher Vacuums at Kurtz’s Store

At the cocktail party
Christopher asks everyone
“Do you vacuum?”
everyone is talking real estate, tuition costs, and summer vacation
plans

“Do you vacuum?” he asks the slender blonde
“as little as possible” she answers
spreading pineapple mango salsa on a lo carb cracker

Christopher commandeers the entire bowl of tortilla chips and melted dip
it sits before him like his dinner plate
unspoken
but clearly off limits
no one else dares to dip

“Do you vacuum?”
the newest head of acquisitions at the local bank looks pensive
“is this a trick question?” he wonders to himself
“sometimes” he answers
awkwardly receiving Christopher’s requisite hug
he asks the pre-pubescent girls as they come up the stairs from the
playroom
they just giggle
he asks the housewives in their printed j jill skirts
and cotton boat neck tops
he asks the college kid who is home for the summer

finally satisfied
he sits before a now empty bowl
burps dramatically
and turns to the person next to him, changing the question
“Who am I?” he ask

7/10/06
Colorado Springs, CO
Bernice Lewis

Notes about Bernice Lewis:
She Undoes now available at http://cdbaby.com/cd/blewis4
Recorded in Nashville.  Produced by Grammy Award winner Charlie Chadwick
No. 18 on FolkDJ for album in November,  No. 16 song for “She Undoes”.

Bernice writes beautifully and deeply.
-Dar Williams

Bernice is really one of the keepers of the flame of Real Songwriting.
-Rosanne Cash

http://www.bernicelewis.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bernicelewis