Japonica Julie (1983)

Japonica Julie (1983)

Through the winding
mists of Edgewood,
stand on the backporch
smoking.

Near the sand on the hill,
hearing the music float up.

Wiggle flex
round the corner in 1983,
when she loved me.

Warble snobble in 1983,
when she loved me.

China Girl don't seem to
use much English,
gets enough
to leave me a pot of tea.

We hit the pothole
on Primrose
that landed us here
more or less.

Mulberry pie and ice cream in 1983,
when she loved me.
Japonica Julie in 1983,
when she loved me.

I knew it was late,
when she stumbled.
Overcast in the fog,
...fumbled.

She was looking at me
by the old oak,
that can't be,
she knows as well as me.

Left on Avalon Road
past Mazzio's Pizzeria,
to the park-side
of Alta Vista.

By the dunes,
fading dream in 1983,
when she loved me.
Smiling blinky in 1983,
when she loved me.

-Will Dockery

Crashville Skyline

Crashville Skyline

Hitting bottom again
It's a state of grace.
Cold snap to my judgement
Face to Face.

Flying high
Flying low.
Flying where I know
I have to go.

Pretty little shards
Clean shaven moon
Crashville Skyline
on a blank dawn.

She held her hand
against the glass.
Game of numbers
so high to lose.

I hesitate
to call her name.
Deep humid night
sick wildflower smell.

Godspeed Hex
Sniper in my Psyche.
Crashville Skyline
Wind from the East.

Watch her knocking
cross the Village Green.
Frayed pitch
stopped way too short.

Her eternal beauty
weary and so wary.
Crashville Skyline
Reconstruct my heart.

-Will Dockery (2013)

Shark Pact Manifesto

Shark Pact Manifesto

The law of the undertow
it ends at the waterline.
In the Summerville night
not all of us can win.

There we are
where we never really were
Here we are
sidestepping the future.
Smile at me
while you stab me in the back.
Smile at me
make the moment last.

Standing near Ferry Landing
wind stinging my eyes.
Centuries reflect on the river
as you smile from the sky.
Shark Pact manifesto
no one makes a sound.
Silent waiting for the Tie Snake
to drag us Underground

I saw the river darken
so green it turns to black
With the sun fading away
edge of Alabama on my back.

Here we are
at the only place you'd allow
There you go
forcing my hand on
this burning bridge now.

There we are
where we never really were
Here we go
sidestepping the future.
Smile at me

from out of the past
Smile at me
make it last.

-Will Dockery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft3X3kC6nr4&t=7s

Shark Pact Manifesto written by Will Dockery (words) & Rusty Wood (music)

Twelve Efforts

Twelve Efforts

Come along now
come along.
Come along now
go slowly.

Now
we are like stone figures
setting a place
in history.

We had one shot
to get out of
Cabbage Town
on crutches in the sand.

Still dancing
under electric skies.

Old Scratch
kept it all
within reason.

Exit
step back.

Let the street side
melodrama play out.

I must have been
on a bland ego trip.


What task was I
set up for next?

He was displayed
sitting with the crowd,
like a stranger
in an even stranger land.

That Summer
left me feeling young
and I was young.

I had
more notches to carve.

Jump cut back
to Springtime.

The refreshing wind
when I tried to hide.

It was
morning in America
all the way.

so we took it back
to the start.

Throw in some
Rolling Stones machismo
or a touch of Brando.

Like a jungle adventure
taken from my era
took a moment
to come to realize.

To last
through
twelve efforts
weed thoughts
sure do
tax my mind.

That will be an effort
we were
like the lost ones
leading the blind.

Doomed us every day
Shiver's bird
was tossed.

She could have been
someone's mother
but she sure was dosed.

I was with Rita
who was one of my
favorite flames.

Up on the hill
with her breakfast coffee.

Sure loved the way
she played
the numbers games.

We do not know
where he went
not even his brother
had a clue.

We don't know
where he went.

All up in alms
repeat the 23rd Psalms.

All this great crass
rejuvenating effort
making a last
slightly late retort.

All of us
laughing
down the avenue.

In that humid
spaced out
Summer of 1982.

Hercules Shiver
you were right
this is true.

Auto writing
for the myth
from the muse.

I made it just along the trail
court and spark
on a Saturday afternoon.

As the world sleeps
nothing seems
to be moving.

But that would
have to be
incorrect.

I have not decided
if you are real
or just a figment
from a fever dream.

With wind
from the East
and a chill
not right for June.

The night shines
and the torch lamp
glows
out there
down the hill.

Will you prefer
a lucky gnome
who was
not so sentimental?

-Will Dockery (June 12 2020)

Deep South Haiku

Deep South Haiku

First dandelion bloom
January 1st in the Deep South
78 degrees.

-Will Dockery (1-1-22)

Blue Birds and Red Clover

Blue Birds and Red Clover

A lifetime ago
I was there again
crying at ground zero
on the back porch of
Cartersville Spinning Mill.

As I smoked another number
a Midnight train passed
Buck Ice and Coal
feels like
I'm there still.

Blue birds and red clover
deja vu in ruins
over and over.

Thirty five years gone
I can't explain
this feeling inside
like a ghost
still harranging me.

On a journey through the past
back to 1983
I need to cool it down
step back outside it
this old fevered memory.

Blue birds and red clover
deja vu flute tune
over and over.

Just signed the paperwork
I started walking
I didn't need a vehicle
and over my shoulder
I waved and went over the hill.

I walked back over
the cobblestones
to Broadway
and started up
a few new loose ends.

A drank some Killian Red
and got on stage
of that upstairs bar
and read my poems
and was back
in the game again.

Blue birds and red clover
deja vu in runes
over and over.

Blue birds and red clover
deja vu
over and over
it always ends too soon

-Will Dockery (1-1-22)

Invasion of the Warrior Lords

Invasion of the Warrior Lords

I want to be with you until I'm dead,
but the Warrior-Lords want to rush it.

Which should be a long time anyways
because they are slow,
we fuse, they can't see us now,
we are dumb like sacks of rocks.

We become almost one person.
Here's a toast to you,
on this wet front porch, Miss Jane.

My sweet treasures, my memory of the day
I made your acqauaintance
We meld, we have the same dark mission.
All my love on this summery autumn
dear dark Miss Jane.

When they cart you off to be beheaded,
I will be there to save you.
We cover each other's backs, we stand together,

I love you.
My sweet treasures,
the Warrior-Lords had come for them,
and were falling one by one.

I sit here in the tower with a dark lady,
two crossbows and plenty of arrows.
I keep looking out the window,
while she writes it all down.

Watching for the Warrior-Lords,
as our realm of sky poets disintegrates.
I watch it crumble from five floors up.

Dark lady looks up, says,
"Don't worry baby,
I'm gonna throw boiling oil on them..."
As down below they demand our heads on platters.

I watch with regret the deaths of three sky poets,
to the blades of the Warrior-Lords.

--Will Dockery 11/03/97