Johnmichael Simon

I was born in England in 1938 and raised in South Africa from the age of ten.  I have been living mostly in Israel since 1961.

I’ve written Poetry since I was a schoolboy.  My first sonnet was written for the school magazine in Johannesburg, South Africa, at age fourteen.  I enjoyed writing comic songs for operettas that we schoolboys performed in local clubs.

As an adult involved with business and family life, my writing became less frequent.  Often, when something moved or disturbed me, I would write about it in the quiet of the night, after the children were sleeping.  I kept these poems in old notebooks stored away in an attic, and haven’t thought of publishing them until now.

Today I am an almost retired technical writer.  I write long boring user guides on highly technical subjects; interesting but, sad to say, not very exciting or creative.

I have reached the age where I can allow my hobby to become my main interest in life, so I’m now writing poems on a daily basis.  I have collaborated in a book of poems entitled: Animals are Nature’s Poetry with the well-known Jerusalem artist, Helen Bar-Lev. Currently I am involved in producing my first full-length book of poetry, which will also contain illustrations by Helen Bar-Lev.

My poems have been featured in the Meeting of the Minds Journal, The Poetry Victims, The Coffee Press Journal and in the Voices Israel poetry news pages.

I am a member of the Voices Israel Poetry Society.