When We Don't See It

Lagier's latest collection begins in turmoil, newly married to a PTSD Vietnam vet who moves them to a Coast Guard station, where they live in a small trailer in a place beyond nowhere. The isolation, lack of amenities, remoteness, and, most of all, the loneliness is overwhelming. Somehow Jennifer survives, escapes, to survey our modern world that is embroiled in war, addiction, dystopian human rights abuses, and the gradual diminution of her closest family connections. More tranquil, post-retirement years reveal a more settled existence in a stable, loving marriage. Jennifer gardens, hikes, meditates, celebrates her anniversary in Hawaii, and writes glorious poems, When We Don't See It.

-Alan Catlin, author, How Will the Heart Endure?

Reading Jennifer Lagier's latest collection of poems, When We Don't See It, is like watching a movie on the meaning of life through every stage: the good, the bad, and yes - even the ugly - that seems to try to rip us apart as people. Even if you've never experienced any of the situations in these poems, you will find yourself in each of them. With breathtaking imagery, skilled craftsmanship, and unique empathy, Lagier shows why she is one of our top-tier poets and has been for many years. These poems make you feel, think, and believe in the possibilities of a better world, one where we can "Imagine an invasion of empathy, / pandemic spread of compassion" (from the poem "Imagine"). Lagier makes you believe the dream is still out there.

-Cathy Porter, author, Shuffle and Go

When We Don't See It, Jennifer Lagier's heartfelt new poetry collection, is a mixed bag of memory, politics, and nature, all governed by the principle in the 12-line title poem, which acknowledges all that's hidden when we contemplate the cosmos: the date rape disguised as free love, the hate crimes, the never-ending grief that comes with loss, the enduring conflicts of family and country. Jennifer Lagier writes with a gentle wisdom that pulls no punches but does not dwell in defeat or remorse. There's inspiration all around us, and Lagier embraces it.

-Charles Rammelkamp, author, See What I Mean? and The Tao According to Calvin Coolidge