The Death of Monk Carter

Monk Carter.jpg

Monk Carter was a troublesome little boy who died while shaking a rotten pecan tree. Cloar’s gift of storytelling through his art allowed him to work through the complicated emotions that accompany losing a friend so young. He is able to relate the shock of the event while still remembering the good times with the boy himself.

“They held Monk’s funeral at Gibson Bayou. Brother Ed preached a very sad, beautiful funeral, but let him go to heaven on account of his age. When the time came to go up and look at Monk, Jack and I went, and I was surprised to see that Monk, in death, looked almost good. His hair had been combed and he had on his Sunday suit that had lint on it because he had worn it when he rode into town on a bale of cotton.”

~Carroll Cloar, “In Arkansas Where I Did Dwell: My Brother Jack”