Passion
by Robin

I had never experienced passion until one day when I was fifteen. I had liked things, I had enjoyed things, I had even loved things, but it wasn't until this day that I knew what passion was. This was the day I first read "Howl".

I had heard people talk about Allen Ginsberg , including musicians I admired and respected, so one day I went online and searched for this poem I had heard so much about.

I had printed the poem out so I could read it later. That night I picked it up, and decided to take a look at it. I read the whole thing and then read it again. It was graphic, it was intense, but it was so much more. It had drawn me in and led me through cities, nights, lives, madness and mystical visions. I had never read anything more real, more honest, more intense; and at that moment I saw, and I felt passion. I was left feeling filled, almost overwhelmed, my head spinning; and I was hungry for more. The world suddenly seemed infinitely larger, and although this largeness could have made me feel small, I felt energized and empowered. The world was huge and magnificent, and it was mine to explore and experience.

This discovery led me to many more. I began to explore Ginsberg, Kerouac and Burroughs, as well as other poets and writers I hadn't felt driven to read before this point. I also began to discover myself. I had found something that excited me, and opened my mind to new possibilities. These new discoveries are continuing, and the excitement has only grown.