Protagonists

A debut poetry collection that's lyrical--with an edge, and stories to tell. Protagonists calls up a chorus of voices most insistent on being heard. Poet Nancy L Baenziger has recaptured a hidden heritage and uncovered a role within it-- that of storyteller for those voices, creating their portraits in words that reach out to listeners who share the same joys, fears, and fates. Some stories the author has witnessed; others she has lived.

The speakers, human and other, present vignettes ranging from transcendent to chilling that span many thousand years. From our earliest cousins to characters on a pandemic stage and more, all seek acknowledgement that they are ..... noticeable. As an emerging poet from an emerging cohort of Indigenous people reclaiming a once-buried identity, Nancy offers readers insights for resilience that, once found, can be called forth and nurtured and revered.