Al Ortolani was born in Huntington, New York, and grew up in Pittsburg, Kansas. He was educated at Pittsburg State University and for the past 37 years has taught in Kansas schools in Baxter Springs, Pittsburg and Overland Park (Blue Valley) as well as an adjunct at Pittsburg State University. He has worked as a house painter, chimney sweep, antique dealer, juvenile counselor, pony handler, canoeing instructor, and gas station attendant. Many of his poems have been inspired by his friends, family and students. He once claimed to have cooked the best bowl of chili in the state of Kansas. Al Ortolani is presently a co-editor of The Little Balkans Review.His prose and poetry has appeared in New Letters, the New York Quarterly, The Midwest Quarterly, The English Journal, The Quarterly, The Laurel Review and others. He is the author of one chapbook, Slow Stirring Spoon, High/Coo Press, two collections of poetry, The Last Hippie of Camp 50 and Finding the Edge, both published by Woodley Press at Washburn University. His third book of poetry, Wren's House, a collection of haiku, is published by Coal City Press in Lawrence, Kansas. www.alortolani.com