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By Jack Joseph Smith

Us Old as hell Across the stepps Lowering to reagons of the world as well Swords people Quick to strike Last to leave Worshipers of fire Through we never start it We put it out quick We swim in the sea And spend out lives in' the middle of this earth We walk across the last distance Wherr Jesus says,, thanks WHERE EVEN Jesus is even as we And sends his Thanks

Original Scan

AI Interpretation

GPT

An old collective voice speaks as fire-worshiping, sea-swimming, sword-ready people crossing the last distance toward a Jesus-shadowed thanks.

The cleaned transcript keeps the communal rhythm of age, violence, endurance, and ritual speech. The handwritten lower-right addition turns the closing image more explicitly theological, making Jesus both present with the group and the one who sends thanks.

Claude

''''Us' -- old as hell across the steppes. Sword people, quick to strike, last to leave. Worshippers of fire who put it out quick. 'We walk across a distance / When Jesus actually says thanks.' Dense handwritten marginalia around the final image.'''