[1] His poems have also appeared in Poem-a-Day published by the Academy of American Poets and been read by Garrison Keillor on the nationally syndicated radio show The Writer's Almanac.
He has been the lead editor on over 100 full-length books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction by authors such as Gerald Stern, Ed Ochester, Martha Rhodes, Jo McDougall, Chana Bloch, Samuel Ligon, Samuel Hazo, Sue Ellen Thompson, Frank Gaspar, Sheryl St. Germain, Judith Vollmer, Steven Schwartz, and Richard Jackson, as well as ten anthologies of fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
Known for its precise language and poignant imagery, his poems show the intersections of nature, family, and the passage of time, reflecting a deep awareness of life’s fragility and resilience and offering readers a lens through which to examine their own lives and surroundings.
Simms’s poetry collections, including Jubal Rising, showcase his mastery of lyricism and narrative, blending personal reflection with broader societal themes.
Through his writing and his tireless advocacy for literature, Michael Simms continues to leave an indelible mark on contemporary American poetry and publishing.” Paul Schwartz (Yale PhD in French literature and the former dean of an American University in Aix-en-Provence) has compared Simms to Victor Hugo: "So, this is what you get when a perceptive, sensitive, and trans-formative poet tries his hand at wizards and warriors / dungeons and dragons: an imperfect, occasionally buffoonish, and self-doubting wizard, a dragon who is centuries ahead of her human antagonists evolutionarily, and a strategically talented and fierce feminist warrior who nonetheless comes to question her battlefield triumphs.
We happily accompany this trio and their faithful followers through victory and defeat, across strange, enchanted landscapes, as they struggle against evil, treacherous foes to make the world better by restoring peace, tranquility, and prosperity."
Both heartening and heartbreaking, Nightjar is an irreplaceable book.” Regarding Simms's writing, the late Peter Makuck wrote:"Whether Michael Simms is writing an essay about growing up with autism or poems about our dying planet, a barfight, or the mystery of a hummingbird's radiance, he is a master storyteller whose narratives hold memorable moments full of fresh and telling details that unlock the heart.