Green Sneakers by Ricky Ian Gordon Grown from a cycle of poems dedicated to thecomposers departed love, Green Sneakers is a raw and touching ode to the life he shared and the process of grief. The string quartet narrates the story as much as the baritone voice, creating a mini-opera, complete with an empty chair employed as a prop, and a piano played by the singer at the conclusion. According to Gordon,I suppose I wanted to end the piece with not only a lullaby, but a celebration of what we had.