Audrey "Jean" Pumphrey was a gifted poet and teacher who lived to share the joys of creative writing with others. She received her Masters Degree in English from San Francisco State University, and in 1967 began a long career teaching English and Creative Writing at the College of San Mateo. As the founding director of the College's Poetry Center, she brought internationally renowned poets to campus-wide events and classes. She also conducted highly successful creative writing workshops at mental health hospitals and community senior centers for persons who had never written before. After Professor Pumphrey retired in 1993, she became a founding and active member of the Marin Poetry Center, and also hosted many gatherings of poets and writers in her home in Sausalito. The beauty of the Bay and coastal waters and mountains of Marin County continually inspired her writing. Ms. Pumphrey died in 2014 while at work on this collection.