Who influences us in our lives? How do they influence us? Whom do we call an enemy? Whom do we call a friend? And why? Why do we have relationships at all? These are the questions Helena Harper eloquently asks in her collection of poems that examines the relationships in her own life. She has had to rethink her definition of 'enemy', not least because her father was English and her mother German and they met in the aftermath of World War II in Germany. She has also been forced to rethink her definition of 'friend'.  If we learn something from someone that helps us to grow and develop as human beings, becoming more understanding and compassionate in the process, then surely most people we meet in life will be our 'friends'? Through the memories and experiences of the people in Helena's life, others can hopefully reflect on their own and maybe come to understand themselves and their relationships better.

About the Author

The author was born in 1960 in Dorking, in south-east England, near London. She went to Surrey University where she studied languages and International Relations, graduating in 1984. After two years in banking, she decided to train as a teacher and did a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in modern languages at Exeter University in Devon. After twenty years as a language teacher, she has now decided to concentrate full-time on her writing. This is her second collection of poems. Her first, It's a Teacher's Life...!, was published by Athena Press in March 2008.  Helena's interests include walking, reading, tennis, Pilates, dancing and spending time with her niece and nephew.