Poetry by Josh Shepard

Erasure Poem for Perdition from the Briscoe Brothers’ “The People Forgot”

We bring a level of violence like nobody does.
          - Jay Briscoe, September 2017

hellsmoke, hellsmoke.
question, question.
why? i’ll explain.

you feel it boiling?
that shaking, cracking—
dammit, we look like hell.

hell. that’s why.
hellhead business.
violence efficient.
                  devastating.

we know hell. watch.
nobody forget.
you hear me?

Erasure Poem for Empty Pockets from “Hangman” Adam Page’s “Cowboy Shit”

You all still believe in me and for the first time in my life, I do, too.
          - “Hangman” Adam Page, October 2021

friends change.
the world changed.
it changed me,
all of you.

I feel like all
I can give you is
my tears.

that
I am sure
I will give.

Josh Shepard

Twitter: @JoshShepard
IG: @joshshepardofficial