"Here is the voice of an astute observer of nature and of the human condition. Terry Michael Hagans offers the reader an insightful retrospective of his own life experience via poems reflecting a wide range of emotions. His poetry prompts us to exclaim: 'Oh, I know that feeling!' as we experience his themes of joy, regret, loss and love. The poignancy of his verses is nicely balanced with touches of humor; (he) can laugh at himself in his sensitivity to human foibles." - John Foster, from the Foreword to Vin Ordinaire."Terry Hagans' ponderings flow with dancing moments, reflective pauses, hearty hellos and poignant farewells. They touch the reader with a familiarity that lingers." - Janet Watson, Award-winning poet and author of Eyes Open, Listening.Son of American parents from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Terry Michael Hagans was born in France and grew up in Saint-Cloud, a suburb of Paris. He was educated in the French school system, but at age 11 was enrolled for two years at the American School of Paris to learn, at a minimum, how to speak, read and write in English. His last year of schooling in France was at a Catholic school, L'Institution Libre de Marcq-en-Baroeul, on the outskirts of Lille, near the Belgian border.His family moved to the United States when he was 14. He attended Northeast High School in Fort Lauderdale, and is a graduate of Duke University (1971). He went on to develop a career in labor-management relations, most of his time spent in Washington, D.C. Drafting reports and decisions was one of his primary responsibilities and, through his call to be a writer for his job, he discovered he was also called to be a writer for himself.When he decided to retire his identity as a labor relations professional he naturally continued the pattern he had learned in that world: to listen, and then to write. No longer driven by the dictates of case assignments but by the guidance and inspiration of his own inner silence, he began to arrange and share his words on paper in a different shape and order. He is confident that much of what you are about to read is already written inside of you, you and he filled with the same, common words. That is why he chose the title, VIN ORDINAIRE, literally ordinary wine, but better translated from the French as TABLE WINE. What is offered and available any day at a dinner table. He invites you to view this book as a table, at which one lifts a glass to say, To your health, Santé!