About the author. Ilana Haley takes her literary inspiration from an Israeli childhood--- as a child of early kibbutz pioneers. These stories and poems reflect values and conflicts that helped to make the Nation of Israel. She left her kibbutz and spent two years in the army; from there to her life in Tel-Aviv as dancer with the Israeli Ballet, and then to America with a grant from The Martha Graham School. She found inspiration as a fashion designer, studying at the Chicago Art Institute, and as a Yoga teacher at the Yoga Circle in Chicago. After she finished her BA in Hebrew literature at the Spertus College in Chicago, she went back to Israel for few years and received her MA at University in Tel-Aviv. She came back to America to teach in high school (her favorite occupation-- as she says). After many years of writing and reflection she has finally, after the death of her mother, decided to publish this small volume of prose and poetry that begins to tell the stories that give words to her history and hopes. She is working now on other books of prose and poetry and plans to do very little else.