I have been following Tony Brown’s writing for about twenty years now, perhaps a bit longer. I used to have the privilege of watching him perform live on a regular basis. While those opportunities have become much less frequent, I still subscribe to his Patreon. There, I get to see all of his work. Sometimes it takes me a while to get to new pieces, but I love that they’re always there waiting for me. Mercy And Bullets is a collection of poetry he published in July of 2025.

Summary:

All of the poems in Mercy And Bullets were written within a three-month period. After decades of a strict regular writing practice, the author endured a series of strokes. He continued his practice afterward and found its nature greatly changed. This is the poetry that resulted in the immediate aftermath as he renegotiated that relationship.

My Thoughts:

This one hits hard. While it’s a very short book, it feels impossible to read in a single sitting. I found that after every two or three poems, I would have to walk away from it for a while to process. Some writers need descriptions that stretch over paragraphs and pages to evoke as much emotion as Brown can with a fragment of a sentence. The stanzas are short and often appear even broken, but a simple three-word line can still knock the breath from your lungs.

While not all of us have experienced a stroke, everyone can relate to the grief and terror captured in these words. This is especially true when the lens turns to broader issues and what the narrator sees happening in the outside world. I think many of us share the feelings of inadequacy in the face of problems that are systemic or otherwise widespread. However, there is also a stubborn persistence that is energizing in its own way. Through all the haze and confusion, there is still a determined search for beauty that does not go unrewarded here. Even as the effort requires more and more energy, that can be inspiration enough to continue.

This was an incredible read, and one that I will likely keep returning to. It was certainly one I needed at this point in time. I imagine others do as well. I recommend grabbing a copy for yourself to find out if you do too.

Content Warnings: Memory Loss, Chronic Illness, Grief, Death, Aging, Depictions of Violence, Blood

After I Finished Mercy and Bullets

Mercy And Bullets was my first completed read of 2026, and it was a heavy one, albeit short. From there, I pivoted to something completely different. I had an advance reader copy (ARC) of a sequel to an adventure-filled romantasy novel I’d read over the summer. I had really liked the magic system of the world and was eager to find out more about it.

My next review will be for Bound by Alyson Dawn.