Perry D. Sisk, a resident of Texas, has been writing poetry for over 35 years and is now 53 years old. Raised by his grandparents in Southern Illinois, Perry’s father has passed away and his mother still lives in the same area, though she was not involved in his upbringing. Perry served in the armed forces for 12 years, during which he earned an associate degree in education counseling from the community college of the Air Force, and was awarded the good conduct medal and longevity awards. He was married at the age of 21 and divorced nine years later while serving in the USAF. Perry is a 28-year survivor of HIV, which he contracted through a blood transfusion during oral surgery in 1983 while on active duty. He now spends his retirement enjoying fishing, writing songs and poems, and puttering around his modest home. Perry’s poems are meant to remind readers of their inherent capacity for compassion and empathy, offering solace and hope for a better tomorrow. He hopes that his works will offer peace of mind and awareness in this fast-paced, fleeting existence we all share. Perry is survived by his siblings Dale and Roger, and his deceased twin sister Terra, and was born to Emil D. Sisk and Joetta Sewell Sisk on February 24, 1957, in Belleville.