Dolly

Written By Harry Fagel

By Harry Fagel

Still of Dolly Parton from “9 to 5” (1980)

Tiny sun born in the heartland

Dirt poor in the way intended

Fathers hands black with soil

Providing

Music nestled in the heartstrings

Faint melodies suddenly

Blown forward to the light

She opened her mouth and sang to God

Crackling and flowing

Songs of Dolly heard ‘round the world

I heard her

Bouncing loneliness back as acceptance

Reaching the supposedly untouchable with

Loving human touch

Building bridges over fear to link

Us together in all the myriad colors of

Errant rainbows

Making love in all the dusty corners

Holding hands with

EVERYONE

Making the world better one note, one chord, one song one shout layered again and again

Protecting

EVERYONE

Bashed against the daily cruelties

Providing strength resilience and

(Incredibly)

Consciousness in a world of sleeping zombies

Dollly made me feel safer

Safer for all the women and children and

The different the queer the marginalized

Safer for

EVERYONE

Pure of heart and deed

She is America’s mom

What shall we do now?

What indeed

Dolly showed the way

Keep fighting and protecting and mostly

Keep loving with all the depth of us

Keep loving

EVERYONE

Until every last drop of

Compassion

Kindness and

Love is shared across the universe

Dolly showed us

No excuses

Now

Let’s

Go

Copyright 2026 Harry R. Fagel

Harry R. Fagel is a native (mostly) Nevadan, growing up in Las Vegas since he was a wee baby. A local poet for over 30 years, he is devoted to helping the world forge a path to kindness and understanding through art.  Author of Street Talk, Undercover, and Bellowing at the Volcano,  published by Zeitgeist Press, and performer and writer of the poetry and music collection “WordMurder” (Wood Shampoo Records), bard of many anthologies, and contributor to the Las Vegas art scene at every opportunity.  Harry has also written a chap book (Skin & Bones) and has performed hundreds of poems, eulogies and tributes.  Harry served 25 years as a Las Vegas police officer, retiring at the rank of Captain. 

Harry’s family is his greatest love.  

Harry Fagel

Harry R. Fagel is a native (mostly) Nevadan, growing up in Las Vegas since he was a wee baby. A local poet for over 30 years, he is devoted to helping the world forge a path to kindness and understanding through art.  Author of Street Talk, Undercover, and Bellowing at the Volcano,  published by Zeitgeist Press, and performer and writer of the poetry and music collection “WordMurder” (Wood Shampoo Records), bard of many anthologies, and contributor to the Las Vegas art scene at every opportunity.  Harry has also written a chap book (Skin & Bones) and has performed hundreds of poems, eulogies and tributes.  Harry served 25 years as a Las Vegas police officer, retiring at the rank of Captain. 

Harry’s family is his greatest love.  

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