Art and Artists: Poems (Everyman's Library Pocket Poets Series)

Preaching to the choir: These small, pocket-sized Everyman Library poetry anthologies are a gift of love: easy to hold, clearly printed on high quality paper, with sturdy covers and creative dust jackets. Just holding the little books increases the reading pleasure. These stand as a publisher's devotion to the art of reading. I have at least twenty of these now, all lined up on a shelf with matching gold-colored spine title-blocks. Wow.

As a solitary, devout museum wanderer, I have carried single poems--those written in praise, question, confusion, joy about works of art--with me for inspiration and illumination. I made photocopies of these poems, one by one, to bring as I looked at paintings and sculpture. Who has not? With such as Keat's Ode to a Grecian Urn, Tranströmer's extraordinary seeing through a wall in Vermeer, Mandelstam's awed Hagia Sophia, Crane's monumental Brooklyn Bridge, Rilke's great last line, "You must change your life," one is privileged to see through the poets' eyes, often an enlightening vision. Now, thrillingly, Emily Fragos has assembled an entire bible of ekphrastic poems in a beautifully designed format that is easy to carry in your purse or pocket. It is full of surprises, treasures, familiars, magic. As I write this, I am loading my fanny pack to head across the park for an afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art--Art and Artists will be my companion. Bravo, Ms. Fragos!

A gem of a book for anyone who loves art and poetry. Bought two, gave one as a gift.R. May

I thought this was a volume of works of art that had inspired poets (a la Ode to a Grecian Urn) with illustrations of the art alongside the accompanying poetry that it inspired.The book is just the poetry inspired by a work of art, without accompanying illustrations. I like the poetry even tho it's not my favorite genre. But I would very much have liked to see the subject piece of art.

Have used this book with an "arts group" andas part of a contemplative art experience.It is an excellent, inspiring tool.

I was really looking forward to having this book, but the type is too small making it difficult to read.