Author Patricia Salter was born into a lively and creative family. The second of five children, her father was a professor and her mother a published poet. Although she was born in Philadelphia, she has lived the greater part of her life in Madison, Wisconsin. Hers was a peripatetic family, giving her and her siblings the opportunity to live East, West, and South while growing up. Lean on the Wind reflects the passions and challenges of her younger years, while also demonstrating her love of music, art, gardening, and nature. Although most of the poems were written nearly a half century ago, these words, like a just-discovered fine wine, have mellowed with the years and come to us as smooth, evocative and satisfying. Poet's Apology How else can I say what the sky is tonight, Where is there a word still unsung? There's a ribbon of gold-alas -this is trite But still 'tis a ribbon-far flung, From the reaches of heaven to the edge of the earth, A ribbon of gold is unfurled, Ah I mourn that there is in my brain such a dearth Of words to describe my loved world. But what can I do, that's not long since been done By poets more skillful than I- They wrote of this beauty 'ere I had begun, Yet, I am here now. I must try