SECRETS is Barbara Elizabeth Mercer’s fifth book of poetry, and this volume represents both a summarization of earlier themes and a movement into a bolder expression — most easily described here as encompassing the three V’s of poetry: vibrant, visual and vital.  Mercer is a good craftsman. True to Mercer’s signature style, this book has much beautiful, evocative, unpretentious poetry which is at once lyrical and romantic – not only on its surface level, but also within the many hidden chambers which the reader discovers upon each successive reading. However, SECRETS does not only revisit familiar Mercer themes, such as nature and humanity, with reflection and discretion. Look out readers! Here Barbara E. Mercer begins to ‘bust loose’ and occasionally brings forth a new voice emboldened by mature reflection which at times approaches social existentialism. Barbara uses many everyday situations and reflections to tell short, short stories ... her own style of “flash fiction” in poetry. However, here the seemingly “mundane” quickly takes on mammoth proportions ... almost baiting the reader who thinks that poetry and literature is all just words, and therefore not so dangerous. Think again! Barbara coaxes the reader to strip away layers of preconceived thoughts and judgments, word by word and line for line. Et voilà ... we are naked before ourselves, and feeling quite human – right here, and right now.