Joel Chinapen was born in Guyana, South America on March 22, 1949. He obtained his teachers certificate in 1974 from Cyril Potter College of Education and a Certificate in Education from the University of Guyana in 1979. Chinapen started his career as a teacher in 1968 and taught at Auchlyne Primary, Cropper Primary, Bushlot Secondary, Corentyne High and Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary Schools. In 1981, he joined the Guyana Sugar Corporation as an industrial welfare officer, and there he experienced the hardships of the working class. It was during this time that he was inspired to write some of his poems of struggle. While in Guyana, he won several national awards for essay writing. In 1980, he also won the Dolly Hassan Yusuff Poetry Award. Chinapen wrote several newspaper articles for the Guyana Graphic before migrating to the Bahamas to take up a teaching appointment. He taught at Sandy Point and Marsh Harbour in Abaco, then at Harbour Island, Eleuthera. He took up residence in Florida in 1996 and taught at Outreach Christian School, Hillsborough Community College, Faith Outreach Academy, Harvest Christian Academy, and at Hillsborough County Head Start, Tampa, Florida. During the past decade, the author obtained his BS degree from Springfield College, and both his BA and MA from Trinity College, Indiana. Chinapen believes that true wisdom comes from God, who gives insight into the issues of life. Poetry, once inspired, lifts man from his earthly plane and makes him aware of his Creator whom he must reverence and rely upon.