Steve Kowit

Steve Kowit Poems

This evening, the sturdy Levi's
I wore every day for over a year
& which seemed to the end
in perfect condition,
...

A noun's a thing. A verb's the thing it does.
An adjective is what describes the noun.
In "The can of beets is filled with purple fuzz"
...

Now that I've unplugged the phone,
no one can reach me--
At least for this one afternoon
they will have to get by without my advice
...

One fine morning they move in for the pinch
& snap on the cuffs— just like that.
Turns out they've known all about you for years,
...

In a downtown San Jose hotel,
exhausted & uptight & almost broke,
we blew 16 colones & got stewed on rum.
You lounged in bed
...

Years ago we owned two cats who hated each other.
When I said we had better give one away
you wouldn't hear of it— you
...

I am translating a poem by Domingo Alfonso
called Crossing the River.
When I lift my head from the page it is night.
I walk thru the rooms aware of the shapes
...

I hiked out to the end of Sunset Cliffs
& climbed the breakwater,
sneakers strung over my shoulder
& a small collection of zen
...

If I am ever
unlucky enough to die
(God forbid!)
I would like to be propped up
...

The Best Poem Of Steve Kowit

Notice

This evening, the sturdy Levi's
I wore every day for over a year
& which seemed to the end
in perfect condition,
suddenly tore.
How or why I don't know,
but there it was: a big rip at the crotch.
A month ago my friend Nick
walked off a racquetball court,
showered,
got into this street clothes,
& halfway home collapsed & died.
Take heed, you who read this,
& drop to your knees now & again
like the poet Christopher Smart,
& kiss the earth & be joyful,
& make much of your time,
& be kindly to everyone,
even to those who do not deserve it.
For although you may not believe
it will happen,
you too will one day be gone,
I, whose Levi's ripped at the crotch
for no reason,
assure you that such is the case.
Pass it on.

Steve Kowit Comments

Fred Boring 28 August 2018

The poem Beetles can be found in Kowit's collection The Dumbell Nebula.

1 0 Reply
Fred Boring 28 August 2018

A great poem by Steve Kowit is Beetles in which, to me, the spirit of Walt Whitman has been brought back to life in our time. I don't know in which of Kowit's collections it can be found but I can supply the text if you are interested. Fred Boring, fwboring@gmail.com

0 0 Reply
Matty Reynolds 18 June 2012

I miss your class. You have inspired me for years.

7 4 Reply

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