World Make Way: New Poems Inspired by Art from The Metropolitan Museum

by Lee Bennett Hopkins (Editor), Metropolitan Museum of Art (Contributor), Alma Flor Ada (Contributor)

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” —Leonardo da Vinci

Based on this simple statement by Leonardo, 18 poets have written new poems inspired by some of the most popular works in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum. The collection represents a wide range of poets and artists, including acclaimed children’s poets Marilyn Singer, Alma Flor Alda, and Carole Boston Weatherford and popular artists such as Mary Cassatt, Fernando Botero, Winslow Homer, and Utagawa Hiroshige.

Genres: Poetry, Art, Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction, Juvenile

48 pages, Hardcover

Published March 6, 2018

About the author

Lee Bennett Hopkins was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2017. He holds a Guinness Book of Records citation for compiling the most anthologies for children. He has also received the Christopher Award, the Regina Medal, and the National Council of Teachers of English Excellence in Poetry for Children Award. He lives in Florida.

For more information, please see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Ben...

Reviews

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of children’s poetry was inspired by a Leonardo da Vinci quote: “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” Paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art were paired with poets who wrote poems inspired by those paintings. The result is spectacular, a book that shows each poem along with the art that is tied to it. The poems reflect the paintings in unique and interesting ways, showing readers details, emotions and the feel of each one. The book ends with information on each of the poets and each of the artists. A book that invites young readers to look closely at art and see it from their own point of view. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

[Paul Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

From sentiments shared at Facebook (28 March)

Doing a little reading and reviewing this Wednesday morning. Just finished NIKO DRAWS A FEELING and picked up Lee Bennett Hopkins new collection, WORLD MAKE WAY: NEW POEMS INSPIRED BY ART FROM THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

There's a natural "ladder" (Teri Lesesne) between these two titles separated by one year. Ordinarily, I would probably just take a picture of the introduction to the new book, but I want YOU to see what Dear One (LBH) has to say about the relationship between art and poetry and the maker and the reader and the relationship that results from a deeper appreciation of self as every single one of them.

I am human. I am reader. I am poet. I am artist. Sometimes all at once.

WORLD MAKE WAY arrives just in time for National Poetry Month. You'll want this one in your classroom library. The dust jacket? Beautiful. The case? Beautiful. The introduction? Beautiful.

Now, to read the marriages of art and poetry.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living poets were invited to write a poem after observing/studying artwork currently displayed at the Met. The best poems are the ones that go beyond simply describing the painting or sketch. Both Marilyn Nelson and Naomi Shihab Nye take their painting and give it life beyond its edges.

from Nelson's "Studio" inspired by Kerry James Marshall's "Untitled (Studio)"

Whether you're a woman, whether you're black/no matter who you are, you can make art./Art rebuilds our hope for a shared future,/it restores our courage, revives our faith./Here in the studio, as on cave walls,/our species reaches toward undying truths./Every work of art was once unfinished:/part in this world, part imagined.

From Nye's "It's all Magic" inspired by "The Elephant Clock," a Syrian folio from a Book of the Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices by al-Jazari, artist unknown

What time is it?/Time to be kinder

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a total sucker for art-inspired poetry collections and this one is stellar. The art work from the Metropolitan Museum is a wonderful mix of times, artists and cultures. The poems are excellent and appealing and written by poets, some new to me and some familiar.

Hopkins includes short information in the back about the poets and the artists.

A beautiful package to savor and share.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighteen wonderful poems inspired by some of the most popular works in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum. A diverse collection of poets and styles in this handsomely designed book with beautiful reproductions of the art works.

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired from artwork from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this is a lovely collection of poems written by contemporary poets. By far, my favorite is the a poem called "It's All Magic" by Naomi Shihab Nye, inspired by "The Elephant Clock."

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book, and filled with poems by contemporary (find them on blogs, Twitter, FB) poets.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen." - Leonardo DaVinci

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful tribute to art and to poetry! An excellent collection by the most talented!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-known poets each wrote a poem in response to diverse works of art.

[Abdullah Hussaini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly enjoyable.

[Kelsey Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts with Da Vinci's famous quote--"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen"

I can't wait to pair this book with an excursion with students to the Joslyn Art Museum when it reopens in the fall. The poem "Paint Me" by Marilyn Singer somehow captured the young ladies restless spirit in Klimt's Mada Primvesi. World Make Way exposed me to a few paintings I was unfamiliar with--but mostly, inspires the writer to create while viewing.

The poem / art pairing: "My Dog and I" by Ann Whitford Paul inspired by "Approaching Thunder Storm" reminds me June showers on the porch with Evie by my side.

[Micki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick, infectious book of poems about great art. I love that there was an effort to showcase artists from all around the globe and different time periods.

[Emily Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun lil picture book matching moma paintings with poems !!

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always liked the idea of writing a poem or short story based on some artwork. I think I've only personally done it once or twice. But I like the possibilities from personal interpretation. So that premise of this poetry collection intrigued me. Some things I could see what the poet saw, and in some I did not. I have never been one who understood art well, though I try to appreciate talent, skill, time, etc. in all that is out there. This book chose from a variety of artwork from all over history, and that was interesting. The resulting poems were thus also a wide variety. But I'm having trouble seeing children connect well with these. Unless you had them write their own to a few of the art pieces, and then share what the poets in this collection said.

Curious to know, especially in the community I serve, how many comments are going to arise because of one particular part of the book--even though the poem addresses it well.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing inherently wrong with this book and it is great from an art loving adult's perspective. I just question if children will really relate to most of the artwork chosen and thus the poems. So many of the paintings are dark and static rather than vibrant and energetic. I imagine the editor and the Metropolitan were trying to present a broad diversity of art from different times and cultures, but their choices created a boring book. Many picture books today seem directed to the adults that buy them rather than the children who they are for.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful anthology of poems inspired by artworks within the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. the poems, written by a diverse group of authors, appear alongside each artwork and inspire the young reader to imagine themselves into artworks. As well as listening, reading, and thought this book could encouraged looking and seeing as well, demonstrating that artwork exists in relationship to the viewer.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poems connected to works of art from the Met. Combines two forms of artistic expression - painting and writing.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this nicely designed collection of well written poetry inspired by gorgeous works of art!

[Vani · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite paintings and poetry combo by page number, beginning to end:
1) Mada Primavesi (1912-1913), Gustav Klimt - Paint Me, Marilyn Singer
2) Dancing in Colombia (1980), Fernando Botero - Dancing, Alma Flor Ada
3) Skeletons as artisans (ca. 1890-1910), Jose Guadalupe Posada - Ti-ki-ri, ti-ki-ri, ti-ki-ri, tas!, Guadalupe Garcia McCall
4) The Horse Fair (1852-1855), Rosa Bonheur - Resistance, Cynthia Cotten
5) Untitled (Studio), 2014, Kerry James Marshall - Studio, Marilyn Nelson
6) Kinryusan Temple at Asakusa, 1856, Utagawa Hiroshige - Walking to Temple, Janet Wong

Paintings I find attractive:
1) Young Mother Sewing (1900), Mary Cassatt
2) Cat Watching a Spider (ca. 1888-1892), Oide Toko
3) The Repast of the Lion (ca. 1907), Henri Rousseau
4) The Elephant Clock (1315), Artist Unknown

Poems that speak to me:
1) Young Ashoka Sundari
2) Ann Whitford Paul

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Inspired by Da Vinci's observation that "painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen", this book pairs a piece of art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a poem inspired by it (very brief, great for elementary and middle school-aged readers). I don't like the art to begin with, so I didn't love it, but it definitely has its place in an elementary poetry unit!

[Leslie Morrison]

This was a fun book to read with children. We didn’t love all of the poems but the idea behind the book—poets writing poems about a painting—made us look at each work of art with a more discerning eye.

[Twinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful poetry and art.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a great book to have in my classroom library. It inspires me in two ways for projects. I would love the students in my class to try a similar idea. Choose a work of art famous or not. Have a picture or copy of it. Then write a poem inspired by that piece of art. A great way of introducing kids to the visual arts and have them think about what they are seeing. Then I could do the oppiste and have the kids create a peicie of art from a poem that inspires them.

[wildct2003 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of art and poetry. Enjoyed more the humorous takes on the art.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea of writing a poem based on paintings. "Blue world's" is my favorite

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice collection of poems and illustrations pulled from the MET collection. Cat lovers will enjoy leafing through theses pages.

[Dezi Dow · Rating 4 out of 5]

copyright:2018
genre: poetry, picturebook
award: NCTE poetry award
This book is a collection of poems written based off paintings from the metropolitan museum of art. Each poem is based off a different painting from the museum. This would a good book to use when learning about art. I would use this book for older kids (middle school) as the poems are more difficult to understand and the painting are more complex as well.

[Jaclyn]

Cool concept with some standouts

[Rebecca Petruck]

A lovely collection of poetry that inspires the reader to see the art--and the world--in a fresh way.