“Tellico Plains and the Siege of the Twentieth Century”

The old timers hen together at Hardee’s

Proclaiming what a long, strange trip it’s been.
The river still runs, the people have guns,
Chick Corea will never play town square.

The high school still fields the same name,

Same mascot, something Madisonville and
Vonore failed on miserably years ago.
Bill Gate’s gave the town library internet.

Adios Stokley boys, rough getting year round

Work after generations of work and draw.
Railroad ran out of town of a rail,
Piggly Wiggly, epic fail to Sav-A-Lot.

The Beach Drive-In remains a

Sure bet on good food and absence of
Next table redneck banter, though
Hair washing in the river looks trashy.

Yeah, there are a lot of strange old dudes

Riding  bikes laden with mystery parcels,
Conducting Walter Mitty business parked
Next to glass…Their agenda remains secret.

The town never turned into a Swiss gateway

To a ski lodge, much like the Pride never
Quite gets as clean as its name would suggest.
Strange summer fires still burn in Druid Hill.