Michael Simms: Swamp Thing
The next morning I rode my bicycle to Wolf Corner where coyotes and dogs were
Hung on a wooden rack to discourage coyotes
Bill Traylor: Sidewalk Genius
Born into slavery, Traylor spent the majority of his life after emancipation as a sharecropper. It was only after 1939, following his move to Montgomery, Alabama that Traylor began to draw. At the age of 85, he took up a pencil and a scrap of cardboard to document his recollections and observations. From 1939 to 1942, while working on the sidewalks of Montgomery, Traylor produced nearly 1,500 pieces of art.
Michael Simms: Blurbing Jose
Jose Padua’s poems are the twitch of the tail of the cat stalking the mouse of your unconscious.
Climate of North American cities will shift hundreds of miles in one generation
In one generation, the climate experienced in many North American cities is projected to change to that of locations hundreds of miles away—or to a new climate unlike any found … Continue reading
Tales of the Holy Man
Word spread across the countryside about the wise Holy Man who lived in a small house atop the mountain. A man from the village decided to make the long and … Continue reading
Michael Simms: Four poems tracing an arc of forgiveness with real world examples
I was so sick of myself
Tired of everything tainted with myself.
Banksy: Don’t Forget To Eat Your Lunch And Make Some Trouble
“We can’t do anything to change the world until capitalism crumbles. In the meantime, we should all go shopping to console ourselves.” — Banksy
Michael Simms: The Happiness of Animals
When the soul-sickness takes me And my mind is in an ugly place And I resent other writers their success, I retire to my attic room To look out the … Continue reading
Michael Simms: The Garden and the Drone
We come to the garden because it is beautiful. Arborvitae, hydrangea, anemone— Even the names are beautiful. . The men who call themselves our leaders Seem far away. We feel … Continue reading
All time best jokes about Donald Trump
The Pope and Donald Trump are on stage in front of a huge crowd. The Pope leaned towards Trump and said, “Do you know that with one little wave of … Continue reading
Michael Simms: Names
Lea wants to change her name to Tina. Her mother says she must think very carefully because a name has to fit. The wrong name can bind like someone else’s … Continue reading
Michael Simms: The Marriage-Bed
The marriage-bed is the center of happiness
a point from which all things ripple outward,
a nest from which all things learn to fly.
Michael Simms: An Appreciation of the Poetry of Robert Gibb
Robert Gibb is a poet’s poet. By that phrase I mean that he’s widely admired among poets across the country, but virtually unknown to the public. He’s published a dozen … Continue reading
Michael Simms: Hammer
On East Carson Street, skinny white boys
Slump in front of tattoo parlors
Scratching their arms.
