Lay Black Night

Lay Black Night

A mystery
a little sparkle together.
Slab of incredible Gemini events
Twin Ace little pilot lines
seen by one ofr more people.

Just plain invent Ace
from the facts as we know them.
Last little inner words:
"two shots in the coffee."
"Lay Black Night."

Lay the hop out
missing scads of detail.
They made more than one
of these things
these paperbacks.

Being King Leer's mountain goddess
discuss or explain, it hurts,
freeze the action
let it fly on.

Deletion of any truth
natural hit clearly at Soul Door.
Half dozen directions
seperate agendas.

Loved by few
Ace by many seems dead.

-Will Dockery (9-4-03)

Adjustments

Adjustments

I came up with a new plan
one morning
in early Summer 1981.

I put the plan in action
and moved into
La Maison Apartment #602.

Paid for after selling
the silver dollars
my grandfather had given me
collected since childhood.

I'd grown weary
of the rooming house
drudgery.

The odd rules
the land lady
kept coming up with.

I was cautiously
optimistic
about good times
in the future.

I was writing up
a new project
some kind of "poetry novel".

Also it was an easier trip
to and from work.

Three blocks
down La Vista
then hop down
onto the westbound tracks.

So with my friend Jag
and his pickup truck
we loaded what I had
and were gone.

A screaming weekend
moving in to
La Maison Apartment #602.

Laughing, drinking, brawling
and most of all
free from the rooming house.

By Monday morning
everyone was gone.

It was still dark
but I could
see the light coming.

I walked into Dunk And Dine
around the corner
from La Maison
on Cheshire Bridge Road.

Moving had been hard
but I got squared away.
Time to have breakfast
and usher in the dawn.

I watched the sunrise
through the window
with the neon still flashing.

Watched the sun rise
above the slightest view
of the Atlanta skyline
circa 1981.

Atlanta was the city
in a constant state
of adjustment
I'd read that in a magazine.

Making plans for
an adjustment of my own
a change of attitude.

In the back booth
with a cigarette
I still thought of Katherine.

She was still drifting
in my orbit
but I knew there was
something going on.

She had landed a better job
with help from a new friend.

Perhaps an old lover
but I brushed back
my paranoia.

The week before
she'd left me on the sidewalk
looking up
hearing laughter
on the second floor.

I made a scene
because I lacked the courage
to do nothing.

Then after that
she was back
and just as quickly
gone again.

She was taking her first steps
to an independent life
without me.

As I was just about
to do the same.

I liked the jukebox there
one of the old booth models.

Selections could be made
for the jukebox
from the table.

I flipped quickly
admiring vintage photos.

I punched in a matching tune
for my maudlin
yet optimistic mood.

The Country music singer
played soft:

"People say I'm stone crazy
to be in love with you
and get nothing more..."

It had become clear
it was now
every man for himself.

I stepped outside
into
the warm bright morning.

Crossing through the alley
headed to the lumber yard
time to start the day.

Time for an
adjustment.

I knew
it was time
to carve another notch.

-Will Dockery

Salt Ripple

Salt Ripple

One man, one ashtray
the old man with beads paints alone.
The storm passes over
Moon Child is always with him.

Mermaid's handbag
I find my cure
near the salt water medicine.

Sandpipers dance
I watch the moves,
way off Broadway.

Far away now,
from the madness of erotic politics,
I think I should never return.

Remain here
become pure again
among the thunderstorms and greensnakes.

The old man with beads
sings baritone in the showe.r.

The storms have passed over
leaving sadness
uncertainty and hope.

Ancient energy here
the moon shows up in late afternoon.

She's imitating a cloud
Foamy egg moon we hatched from
our ancient dust and rock birth sack.

-Will Dockery

Diver Days

Diver Days

Crosslegged, she sits.
Red wine, friends.
Mellowness and memories.

***

She seems
to have a crisis of faith,
but she's also sort of a
prima donna it seems.
A bit absurd with it.
Seems to be
doing better on this one,
this faster rocking gospel plow;
needing to use less octaves.
It's got the crowd
up and clapping,
Brother Dave almost jumps.

***

Is it important,
or really?
Just go right through it.

-Will Dockery

Saint Augustine Blues (Chorus Six)

Saint Augustine Blues (Chorus Six)

Dollars in the bucket
collect for the street singer.
Old man with beads paints a chinaberry
points out the parrots.
Blonde after blonde after blonde
after the parade.
People start looking really strange again.
I must seem likewise to them
as this dusty smell surrounds me.
I'd draw these people with words
but I'm not fast enough.
They pass and fade
part of the parade.
On this really old wall,
good view from up here.
Forever is a long time
but not as long as yesterday.

-Will Dockery