Melissa Elder is a poet based in New Jersey, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. She is the author of two poetry collections: The Mundane (2022), which captures the small, often overlooked moments of everyday life, and Nostalgia, her second collection. Elder began writing poetry as a personal practice, initially composing poems for handwritten birthday cards before developing the work into full collections. Her poetry explores parenthood, memory, and the details of daily experience. She cites Rumi, Mary Oliver, and Rupi Kaur among her influences.