Elegy for Reverend Morris

[Steve Plonk]

ELEGY FOR REVEREND MORRIS
By Steve Plonk

Have known you since 1979—
My wife has known you and Rosalie since she was small.
You were a man of God and stood tall
Taller than I will ever be.
I am thinking of the last time we spoke about the trees I planted
Around my home, in Tennessee--
You were visiting with Rosalie, just got through eating a spaghetti dinner.
You stated your opinion that a gum tree was hard to take care of.
I was appreciating the advice about the burrs it puts out.


I pointed out the two chestnut oaks I planted out front –one of which acorn came from
The old home place . Two out back from a large local tree,
Acorns being given by Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Dept.—
One maple tree planted on the side next to the tulip poplar & down from the juniper--Nursed the juniper up from a seedling too. Taken good care of the apple tree so far.


(I am only a pretty good planter of trees, I stated. Made lots of apple sauce from the apples. But our apples were puny in 2002. Better this year in 2003 without any pesticide. Let the rest of the garden go fallow into grass I planted over it as you suggested. I just planted a flower garden this year, because our vegetables did
Not do well last year. .. Roses, marigolds, black-eyed susans, purple columbines, shasta daisies, larkspur…I 'm taking care of the gum tree, burrs and all.)


You died so bravely, but painfully of cancer tumors--
Preached your last sermon in the hospital when you were delirious.
Your advice on growing things has always helped me out,
‘Cause you always seemed to have such a great garden.
Old friend, from the Savannah area in Georgia
I still remember the Revival in Cochran, Georgia, when I played the guitar and Paul sang.—Thinking of you, Rev. Morris always--
Who is buried in Scotia, SC’s Lebanon Methodist Church Cemetery—
I will miss both your temporal and spiritual advice—
To get with the program and stay on the stick and keep going down the road.

After your burial service, the heaven’s opened up and sent you home with a boom.
Missing you this late Sunday afternoon in Chattanooga, TN.
--August 2005