Poetry, Essays, and Short Stories

A modern wooden house on a hill overlooking a lake with mountains in the background, during a cloudy day.
A silver and gold fountain pen resting on a lined, spiral-bound notebook on a wooden surface.
A workspace on a wooden desk features a laptop, tablet, eyeglasses, a cup of coffee, a planner with handwritten notes, a hand writing, a small stack of travel books, and several instant photos of landscapes.
Person writing on papers with a pen at a wooden table, with a coffee mug and notebook nearby.

Dave Dougherty is a poet, essayist, and storyteller whose work distills big ideas into sharp imagery and layered meaning. His writing navigates the space between the personal and the political, the beautiful and the brutal, offering readers a voice that is both precise and restless. Whether crafting free verse poetry, thought-provoking essays, or character-driven short stories, Dave blends emotional honesty with intellectual depth—creating work that resonates long after the final line.

Poetry

Dave’s poetry compresses intensity into vivid images and unexpected metaphors. Each piece trusts the reader to bridge leaps in thought and feeling, rewarding close attention with layered meaning. His work often balances intimate detail with larger cultural or political themes, creating poems that feel both personal and universal.

Themes include:

  • The intersection of private moments and public events

  • Political and societal critique through metaphor

  • The raw, unfiltered emotion of lived experience

Published Works: Girls Wrestling (B Squad Magazine, Fall 2008), Furrow Literary Magazine

Essays

In his essays, Dave marries his analytical mindset with a conversational tone, exploring topics that connect personal experience to broader cultural, creative, and philosophical contexts. His essays are candid yet precise, blending narrative storytelling with insight-driven commentary.

Strengths in essays:

  • Linking micro-level moments to macro-level ideas

  • Framing personal narratives within cultural analysis

  • Writing with empathy while maintaining a sharp critical lens

Short Stories & Character Work

Dave’s short stories reveal complex characters through tightly observed moments. He builds atmosphere with a balance of lyrical description and grounded scene work, often exploring moral ambiguity and the inner conflicts of his characters.

Hallmarks of his fiction:

  • Character depth in small spaces

  • Lyrical yet accessible prose

  • Emotional undercurrents that drive plot and pacing