fantastical figures
spirited unicorns, delicate deer,
flying fleeing flocks, fierce falcons
Nature unbound
an overflowing vista
to hold close.
-Excerpt from The Vision , by Nimah
Ismail Nawwab
So begins one of the dreamy, meandering, thought-provoking poems in this excellent compilation of poems inspired by artwork. Side by Side contains poems from such different countries as Bhutan, Syria, Norway, and Guyana, and the collection shows a well-rounded glimpse of culture from around the world. Each poem is translated into English, but the authentic feel of the poems is kept by also including a copy of the poem written in its original language. The piece of art that each poem is based off is also included, riveting any reader's eyes to, if not the fantastic poems, the colorful and often startling artwork. The poetry offers a surprisingly frank look at life, art, and how the two can so easily become intertwined without meaning to be.
Jan Greenberg, as the editor, did a wonderful job of selecting poems for this collection. I loved flipping the book open to a random page and delving into the poem I found, savoring all the different styles of poetry I could find. From humorous to serious to sad, this book had them all. The book provides biographies of all the authors and translators, as well as a map to locate them all. I recommend this book to anyone who likes art, poetry, world cultures, or simply wants to try something new-it was my first book of poems, and I loved it. It offers a unique look at what art is and can be, and I liked simply gazing at the pages, seeing the poems and paintings as though they were one, which is what this book set out to do and accomplished splendidly.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.
