“Here are poems for the people, reflections of deep sorrow and joy that cover the spectrum of a lifetime—a distillation of passion and pain. Judith Partelow speaks from the heart, shines a light into the soul, captures the fragility of life, and conveys complex emotional experiences with clarity. This collection is truly a treasure.”

– Lily Poritz Miller, author, former editor at The Macmillan Company and McGraw-Hill, senior editor at McClelland and Stewart.

"Judith Partelow’s poetry collection, Passion & Provocation, is a must-read for any woman who has lived and loved. Her voice will sound as familiar as your own with its yearnings, triumphs, regrets and humor, a voice that speaks from the 'inside out' about a woman’s life today."

- Nancy Rubin Stuart, author, POOR RICHARD’S WOMEN: Deborah Read Franklin and the Other Women Behind the Founding Father

"Passion and Provocation is a rich compilation of poems about the many phases of womanhood. Partelow uses musical language that sings her emotion: “Tropical ma-an/pulsates to a calypso beat.” In a tender moment, the author ponders the life of a mother: “an endless tune/we dance to all our lives.” She chronicles past relationships, old loves and new, while drawing the reader in with sensual images that celebrate her children and her own younger self. These are poems to savor for their astonishing beauty and contemplative vision."

—Robin Smith-Johnson, Author, Dream of the Antique Dealer’s Daughter, and Gale Warnings