Dogged Doggerel Volume 2: 45 Poems, A Conversation with Donn and 3 Children's Stories

Two lives lived in the same country, yet a world apart in the reality of their circumstances. This collection of poems – Volume II in the Dogged Doggerel Series - was developed from conversations the author enjoyed with his friend, Donn Wilson. Donn is a black man who grew up in Georgia during the period of desegregation and experienced some of the violence that is now relegated to old newspaper files. One day, A.B. asked Donn if he could try to put some of his experiences into a poetic format, based on his recounting. Donn’s emotional reading of these poems led A.B. to delve further into their discussions, and the result is a series of 45 poems supported by contextual footnotes. Donn’s friendship over a number of years has helped A.B. appreciate the complex nature of the racial divide that has plagued the world for centuries. His generosity in sharing his stories and allowing A.B. to express them in some semblance of poetic form is greatly appreciated. Both Donn and A.B. hope that these poems can provide a springboard for further thought on the racial divide. Finally, A.B. included three story poems for children. Even without illustrations, these little stories provide an answer to a grandchild who asks, “What are you reading”. These three children’s stories look to the future with the light and lightness that fantasy can bring, yet do not abandon the purposefulness of the book. PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR: “I’m a big fan of the Doggerel style, and I love how Mr. Lawrence uses it in his second collection of poems. Each piece of poetry and prose takes you inside the heart and mind of a man deeply affected by racism in America. The children’s stories in the back of the book are another example of the talent of the author.” --- D. D. Scott, International Bestselling Author ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Arthur B. (“Sandy”) Lawrence III was born and spent his early years in Manhattan, NY. His family moved up-state and in the fifth grade he went off to boarding school where he struggled mightily to do anything more than have a good time. After graduation he joined the Navy, dabbled at college, got married, and raised a family with his lovely wife, Caroline. He spent most of his career in banking and now divides his time between Florida and the Adirondacks. Over the years he has built over twenty boats for his family. After all, if you want them to “learn to paddle their own canoe” in life, they should have one.