As soon as Celia Chipkin could comprehend words as a young girl, she had poems swimming around in her head, putting poetry to paper when she learned to write. Her poems really took shape with the beginning of her first job which required typing. During her lunch hour, Ceil recited her newly prepared poems to her co-workers. Some expressed her appreciation for their friendship, and others admired their skills or wished them well upon their retirement. Ceil has continued to write poetry throughout her life to the delight and enjoyment of her friends, family and relatives. Her poems touch upon numerous subjects and emotions, mostly joyful and hopeful though occasionally sorrowful. Many of her poems as well as her personality are infused with a delicious sense of humor. Ceil Chipkin is now retired, residing in Florida during the winter months and in upstate New York during the summer. She lives with her husband of 55 years, Sidney. Ceil has battled several types of cancer during the last few years but she still continues to write poetry in response to life's experiences. In Ceil's poetry, there is something of value for everyone to take away and perhaps a lesson for many of us that there are joys in life to be valued and savored but that are often overshadowed by the complexities of day-to-day living.