D'vorah Elias was born in South Korea some time during the summer of 1958. She was abandoned by her mother at the age of six months, and lived at the Star of the Sea orphanage. She was adopted from there and grew up in the United States.

She was married to the late poet/physicist Vic Elias, and together they raised four children in London, Ontario, where she now lives.

As well as poetry, she also writes plays. Ani is her first published book.