Michael Simms: Four Songs from the Sioux
Behold This is a ceremonial song of the Sioux Sun dance, the three verses being sung by a leader in the ceremony. Where holy you behold in the place where … Continue reading
Michael Simms: Why Gardening is Good for Us
Last year, Eva and I hired a contractor to remove the asphalt from our backyard which for years had been used as a woodlot and a basketball court. The soil … Continue reading
The Vegan Kitchen: Eight Tropical Fruits We Should Eat More Of
One of the great joys of summer is eating fruit. In the northern latitudes, berries, peaches, apricots, and melons ripen in the warm sun, and we can buy them at … Continue reading
Michael Simms: The Apothecary in the Back Yard
In our garden of blueberry, elderberry, rose, zinnia, sage, oregano, and tomato, Eva and I have decided to reserve a corner that will be left untended. This plot will be … Continue reading
How the Christian Right Changed American Politics
Before Ronald Reagan merged the Christian Right with a pro-business agenda to revitalize the Republican Party in the late 1970’s, no one thought of religion as a major part of … Continue reading
Michael Simms: Potluck Soup
When we were college students in Dallas in the 1970’s, my friends and I lived off college loans, the GI bill, and handouts from our parents. We were broke. So … Continue reading
Michael Simms: The Future of the Democratic Party
Last night I attended the launch of the new Pittsburgh headquarters of the Bernie Sanders campaign. Pennsylvania has a large number of delegates, and the state helped elect Obama twice, … Continue reading
Michael Simms: Why Donald Trump?
Liberals and leftists in America consistently underestimate the political savvy of the leaders on the right. We forget that presidential elections are not decided by reasoned debate in which important … Continue reading
Michael Simms: Why I support Bernie Sanders for President
America is in crisis. We have 662 overseas bases in 150 foreign countries, we are engaged in military attacks on another 135 countries, and yet we feel less safe than ever before. … Continue reading
Video: How to pickle your own vegetables
The practice of preserving vegetables by storing them in salt or vinegar and allowing them to ferment is very ancient. As early as 2030 BC, cucumbers brought from their native India … Continue reading
Michael Simms: A Note from the Editor on the Vagaries of Publishing Poetry on the Internet
Once again, a poet has emailed me, peeved that a poem of hers that appeared in Vox Populi is not anything like the version she sent me. The line-endings and … Continue reading
Michael Simms: The Legend of the Piasa
The recent flooding in St. Louis reminds us that we are powerless over the violence of nature. We believed that our grandfathers had tamed the Mississippi, transforming the roiling waters … Continue reading
The Vegan Kitchen: Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie
My son Nick is a professional carpenter whose job is physically demanding. Often he works outside in cold or damp weather, so he needs hearty food to nourish him through … Continue reading
Michael Simms: A Parable about Publishing
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He yelled: “Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a … Continue reading
