Michael Simms has been active in poetry and politics for over 40 years as a writer, teacher, editor, and community activist. He’s the founding editor of Autumn House Press, a nonprofit publisher of books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction; and the founding editor of Vox Populi, an online magazine of poetry, politics, and nature. He’s also the author of four collections of poetry and a college textbook about poetry—and the lead editor of over 100 published books. Michael lives in Mt. Washington with his wife Eva and their dog Josie.
Fence
All morning through my window I watch a man building a fence In my neighbor’s yard. He’s old, Almost as old as I am, too old For this kind of work. It’s spring— The first blossoms of the apple tree Spread their light above him. He lifts and drops The post-hole digger all morning. At …