Though I know Steve personally, still I would like to take the chance (a chance because it will be easy to charge bias)in stating that he is a fine poet, unpretentious & unaffected to the point of being admirable (hard for people with his talent not to have a little affectation). Passionate Journey is a joy; each poem is not only accessible but paradoxically subtle as well. The book's lyricism and honesty impress the reader immediately.

"Reading these beautiful recreations of Indian love poetry I hear the poets of the Greek Anthology and Rexroth's translations from the Japanese... Steve Kowit does us great service in finding the right tone for these songs from India." James Laughlin

Illustrated by Arthur Okamura, this is a great Valentine gift book

I got this book for a creative writing class, and haven't stopped using it since. I don't consider myself to be a poet, but this book has helped me create several different poems. I recommend it for anyone who wants a good handbook on writing.

As a writing major and tutor at UCSD, I have toted Kowit's book in my backpack as my constant and faithful companion. I've enjoyed witnessing my own as well as others' poetry, and writing in general, improve through the insightful suggestions in this book.

As an instructor, Kowit encouraged me to "have fun" with my writing. This book echoes his personally delivered sentiment, since it masquerades as a fun way to approach writing, but actually is a serious tool for poets who are serious about their craft.

This book helped me to examine my old, bad writing habits and ruts. Now, I hold my trite lines up for my own students to scoff at. If I improved, so could they. Under the tutelage of Kowit's warmth and wisdom, I finally am able to churn out good poetry that my professors compliment me for. No one can stop me now.

Thank you, Steve Kowit, for putting this one in the palm of my hand!

After finishing a writing workshop for poetry I found myself wanting to find a guide to help me continue along the path the class had started for me. After only reading the first 3 chapters I already had started to write four poems, and many more were floating inside my head. This book is amazing in how helpful it is.

Kowit is impressive in this collection, a nice blending of humor and narrative voice in these free-ranging poems. Unpretentious, clear, moving, these poems are a joy to read and they serve as an antidote to the pseudo-philosophical goop that passes as poetry these days (see any recent issue of APR). Buy it if you like Koertge, Collins, Webb, Locklin--the West Coast "Stand-Up" school is alive and well.

I found this book by accident a few years ago at a large bookstore in Kentucky. Even though I've moved a dozen times since then, I've managed to hold on to my copy -- no small thing for someone as disorganized as I am. What can I say? The poems speak to me. My favorite is a little piece called "Credo": "I am / one of those/ who believes different things / on different days." Okay, I did the line breaks from memory and they may be off, but you get the idea. This is poetry for those people who think most English professors and the literature they espouse are full of it. Count me -- and, I suspect, Mr. Kowit -- among that tribe.