Me and Joe

By Eric Bergstrom

Me and Joe is a rollicking collection of poems celebrating friendship and hard-won wisdom, stitched together in a neat package. In Eric Bergstrom's verses, two old ranch hands recount their madcap misadventures and poignant life lessons amidst the grit and beauty of the country.

Whether getting trucks stuck, running afoul of shady barroom denizens, or ultimately settling down, this inseparable duo faces life's trials with edifying humor, plain-spoken insight, and an unbreakable bond. Told in Bergstrom's vibrant voice, these tales from the campfire evoke a bygone era while revealing profoundly human truths about struggle, perseverance, and savoring "good times with rounded-off edges."

Brimming with nostalgia, bemused chuckles, and the simple pleasures of swapping tall tales between pards, this poetic treat will delight anyone who relishes the authentic ethos of rugged individualism, loyalty, and finding life's poetry in its hardscrabble proses.

A vital new contribution to the art of verse storytelling in the American vernacular tradition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sprague River Publishing
• Release date: Nov 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798224598953

Book preview

Me and Joe

Poetry and Hillbilly Prose

Eric Bergstrom

Sprague River Publishing

Copyright © 2023 Eric Bergstrom

All rights reserved

Published by Sprague River Publishing,  a service of The Barn DLLC

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Pards

Billy

The Draggin Bar

Stuck

Steeds

Fire

The Bunkhouse Christmas

The Packrat

Old Trucks

Stars

Fences

The Lookout

Snakes

A Pretty Face

Me and Joe

Pards

We took the shortcut and that old pickup sprayed mud as we flung through a ditch and skittered sideways up the trail. We got straightened out and dropped into the tracks coming down off the rise and things were looking pretty good, though sometimes Joe would miss a note on his beat-up old guitar as he bounced off the seat. Me and Joe mostly shared and traded off on jobs, but he liked to let me drive so’s he could whang away on that guitar—which wasn’t an entirely unpleasant noise—though I’d never admit such to him.

I met a friend that I once knew,

Said, "God Joe, what’s become of you? 

You look a sight; I guess your life’s been rough."

Joe said, "It’s good to see you too,

but what the hell have