Moments in time are often ignored or forgotten, but reliving them through poetic words can bring them back to life and to the forefront of our minds. This is the gift a poet hopes to give to readers. In "The Passion Runs Through It..." by Deb Dietz, that gift is willingly shared and embraced.

Capturing a feeling and portraying it openly so that others can feel it is a talent few have. Relaying a moment so well that others can say, "I know how that feels; I've done that!" takes a talent that Deb obviously has. Taking everyday images, from ribbons of asphalt to spiral bound notebooks, she opens the eyes of her readers to all that is around them. In magical moments of solitude and moon gazing, and passionate portrayals of love, it is clear that the word can evoke deep feeling. These are not epic poems, but short works of art that reach out to many senses. My favorite is a poem titled, Label Envy, in which Deb examines how labels are slapped on people instead of discovering what they are really like. Another that I liked a lot was about standing up for what you believe in and not letting others assume things about you. The simpler things like a river winding to the sea, and glass tears on a china doll, round out this book with images of everyday life.

Deb Dietz will feel like a friend whom you've shared moments with. My only complaint was that I wish the book were longer... I want more!