She was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, grew up on Army bases, and graduated from high school in Arlington, Virginia.
[1] After receiving her Master's degree, she taught English at high school for two years.
[2] Persons then began writing poetry and publishing in small literary journals in the early 1980s.
[2] She stepped back from Moon Pie Press in early 2024 due to ill health.
[8] She currently lives in Westbrook, Maine, with 3 cats and a dog, and volunteers for animal welfare organizations.