Stone Crock Restaurant, Elmira

This was Dad’s idea of great Supper
Moxy. Commercial salesman.
Downstairs basement
Family style service.
Best of country foods.
Mennonite wives attending.
Love and sweet care sending.
Gentle music blending.
Bowls and bowls.
Arriving.
Their sausage, Turkey, dressing
The best. I put it to the test.
No talking with all the rest.
An evening truly blessed.
One point, roaming spaces.
Mennonite Art in most places.
Stepping t’ward stonished faces.
Cause Peter Etril Snyder
Amazes.*


(* local Amish Waterloo artist of exceptional talent. Dead now. Horse wagons. Tossing up hay stooks. Kids at baseball. Summer front lawn picnics. Springtime maple syrup running. The white Meeting House, horses communing outside. Two girlfriends in purple walking the gravel road margin with laughter. Teen boys on their bikes most Sundays.)