Vox Populi

A curated webspace for Poetry, Politics, and Nature with over 6,000,000 visitors since 2014 and over 9,000 archived posts.

Michael Simms: A True Story of How I Almost Became a Rock and Roll God (with special appearance by Iron Butterfly)

So there I was, jumping up and down on a king-sized bed in an expensive hotel in Miami Beach, drinking rum straight from the bottle. And right beside me, jumping up and down, playing the air-guitar and blasting out his famous song In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, was Doug Ingle.

May 9, 2020 · 3 Comments

Michael Simms: A Story About My Daughter's Kindness

The woman took a small knife out of her apron pocket and held the blade to the goat’s throat. Do you want to be responsible? What’s twenty pulas to you? You are a rich American and this is just a poor Botswana goat. Have you no heart?

May 2, 2020 · 11 Comments

Abby Zimet: What would Jesus do? (Not this)

Leading as ever by invaluable example, Mike Pence declined to wear a mask Tuesday as he toured Minnesota’s renowned Mayo Clinic. He did this though the CDC’s guidelines urge Americans to wear a mask in public to minimize the spread of COVID-19…

April 30, 2020 · 3 Comments

Stephen Dobyns: Laugh

What he wished was to have his ashes flushed
down the ladies’ room toilet of Syracuse City Hall,
which would so clog the pipes that the resulting
blast of glutinous broth would douse the place clean

April 30, 2020 · 4 Comments

Michael Simms: Bored in quarantine? Here are 43 things to do to keep yourself entertained

Re-arrange your sock drawer in a way that pleases your socks. Remember, it’s not always about you!

April 25, 2020 · 2 Comments

Dawn Potter: Concord Street Hymn

Yes, there will be
daffodils in every stanza of this poem
because it is spring in Maine

April 25, 2020 · 3 Comments

Caty Borum Chattoo: Take it from Pluto the Schnauzer — Comedy will help us through the coronavirus crisis

Comedy serves crucial cultural functions as we deal with tough challenges: sharing and amplifying messages, addressing taboo topics in accessible ways, and inspiring us to feel emotions of hope and optimism…

April 4, 2020 · Leave a comment

Michael Simms: Ten things to do before I start writing today

Read what I wrote yesterday — hate it. Read what Sam wrote yesterday — love it. Hate Sam. Think about 45-year friendship with Sam. Remember him stealing my girlfriend in college. No, wait that was me — I married her….

April 4, 2020 · 15 Comments

Leslie Anne Mcilroy: Zoosk | The Pandemic

We stay put, apart,
constant in longing. And that is all
fine, my friends, except the dying
part. Death all around love’s
little sprouting head.

March 27, 2020 · Leave a comment

Deena November: Social Distance Pro

I create ambitious color coded schedules for
my hyper children during a pandemic but they are jumping in puddles, tracking mud all over the house and eating popcorn off the living room rug.

March 25, 2020 · Leave a comment

Michael Simms: Black Brick, Yellow Brick

I will die in Pittsburgh on a beautiful day…

March 21, 2020 · 4 Comments

Belinda Kong: How Chinese people came together when separated by quarantine, creating hope, humor and art

Fear and blame appear to be fast becoming Americans’ defining emotions around COVID-19. Headlines seem to offer either worst-case estimates or government leaders’ mutual accusations. Amid the bewildering figures and … Continue reading

March 19, 2020 · Leave a comment

David Adès: One Manifestation of Compassion

I did the only humane thing left

March 14, 2020 · 2 Comments

Doug Anderson: The Fool

At seventy-five I find myself in love.
Not the serene love of an old man
steeped in the wine and wisdom of years,
but one who would kill a dragon for her.

March 5, 2020 · 4 Comments

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