Meet Phyllis M. Tippett

Phyllis Tippett has a knack for finding a poem where the rest of us might only find an inconvenience. A running nose. A doctor's appointment. A magnifying mirror that reveals entirely too much. In her hands, everyday frustrations become short, mischievous observations worth sharing.

Born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan, Phyllis still calls it home. Her creative life includes writing and art, with interests ranging from yoga and Tai Chi to crosswords and the xylophone. She's also partial to a stick shift, especially in a convertible Volkswagen.

Phyllis has written nearly 3,000 pieces of short literature, including her signature "pocket poems": little verses with plenty of personality. Often funny, sometimes tender, and occasionally a little risqué, they explore friendship, love, loss, and the indignities of growing older. She's as willing to laugh at herself as she is to poke fun at anything else.

Her collection, My Perceived Dotage, brings together a selection of that work. The title gives you a fair introduction to its author: Phyllis knows how old she is. She simply reserves the right to have her own opinion about what that means.

As her 100th birthday approaches, we're celebrating the woman behind the words—and inviting everyone who knows her, or has just discovered her, to join in.