A Poet's Beginning...

Escape Velocity presents a chronological collection of poems from 10/2010 to 1/2023, stringing experiences together to form a trajectory and progression of understanding old paradigms and letting go of assumptions, patterns, and ego.

Cate McNider, in her Introduction, reviews her invitation to readers to "enter into the Theater of the Void, to turn on the light within you, to close your two eyes to the illusionary demands of the ‘world’ and encounter the lush and wondrous being-ness that waits within you. It’s never what you think it is, and the discovery of that will lead to moments of those mini-lights being turned on within you."

With this, the stage is set for a ride through not just her life and observations, but those which resonate with the reader.

Take the succinct reflection in the opening poem 'Happiness': "I want to be as soft as you,/as solid and as fluid..." Here, the notion of happiness is also linked to being in the present and acknowledging its brief spate of energy in the wider scheme of things. McNider's ability to capture the passage of time and place in a study that introduces a very different definition of happiness then segues neatly into 'Whale's Song,' a poem of transformative longing and sharing: "If only I could insert my self,/angiogram balloon/inside your arteries, open you,/let the moon’s tide take the pain/way out to sea..."

These examples are but a drop in the literary bucket of psychological, spiritual, and nature observations that provide all types of readers with an art form that blossoms with internal examination and external force.

What is the reason for life, time, and evolutionary processes? How do they bloom in heart and mind to take wing into the greater world of human and nature?

Each poem represents a piece of a journey that, when viewed from the broader perspective of this collection, adds to a marked and meaningful path that is accessible not just to literature or psychology readers, but anyone interested in self-growth and introspection.

Libraries and readers interested in a hard-hitting collection that encourages and gently drives its readers into higher-level thinking, from ego examination to broader connections, will find the poems in Escape Velocity offer an escape hatch leading to better understanding and life meaning.

Lyrically Courageous and Honest *****

"Escape Velocity" challenges us to see ourselves, and the world, through new eyes unlocked by McNider's potent insights. Through daring yet often humorous meditations, McNider examines concepts like vulnerability, love, understanding, and our limitless creative power. The work dares us to take the leap into mystery and meet our authentic selves with newfound clarity. Through introspective examination, McNider peels back the metaphorical barriers to offer more than just beautifully crafted poems, this collection offers a profound work of transformational art.”

Poetic Vulnerability *****

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2023 

In Escape Velocity, Cate McNider’s poetic vulnerability and honesty has the capacity to ignite the reader's vulnerability, asking the reader to look inwards and see something new and real, something authentic. The poems ask the reader to find deeper insights into the psychological and emotional experiences we share as human beings. The poems are accessible y their simplicity is deceptive, for it is difficult to write simply... Simplicity that is simultaneously filled with thoughtful content is a mark of a good writer, a writer who has spent time working at their craft. I enjoyed the poems in this book on multiple levels, the most important level, for me, was the poems gentle nudges and invitation toward self reflection. 

Pure pleasure! *****

Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2023 

McNider is an amazing wordsmith and a keen observer. Escape Velocity had me laughing and contemplating; so enjoyable!