Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art

by Belinda Rochelle (Editor)

African-American poetry and art take wing and soar in this collection compiled by Belinda Rochelle.

With work that spans the nineteenth century through the present, this stunning collection pairs twenty poems by distinguished African-American poets with twenty works of art by acclaimed African-American artists.

Renowned poets and artists such as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Rita Dove, Countee Cullen, Jacob Lawrence, and Paul Lawrence Dunbar powerfully explore themes of slavery, racism, and black pride, among many others.

Named as one of the New York Public Library's "100 Titles for Reading and Sharing," this important collection was described as "a stirring book that will take [readers] up close and also extend their view of themselves" in a starred review by Booklist.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Art, Young Adult, Childrens, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

48 pages, Hardcover

First published December 26, 2000

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was searching our library's online catalog for another book by the same title when I came across this one and was intrigued enough to place a hold on it. The art is gorgeous and so wonderfully varied in style. Similarly, the poetry varies also. Each work of art and poem have been carefully curated to create a wonderful reading experience. My favorite poem is "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden, which is about the love and sacrifice of a father in his service to his family.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful poetry collection that features stunning and equally powerful works of art.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each poem is paired with a piece of art, that means that the feel of the illustrations varies dramatically from poem to poem.

The most shocking was about a young boy on a long stay in a different town and how he was called "nigger" one day by a white boy his age and how that's all he remembers about that visit.

My favorite was the last poem "Human Family" by Maya Angelou. She points out we're all different, but that we all have lots in common.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, my favorite poem is:
My People, by Langston Hughes:
"The night is beautiful,
So the faces of my people.
The stars are beautiful.
So the eyes of my people.
Beautiful, also, is the sun.
Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people."

The art called "Into Bondage" by Aaron Douglas took my breath away.

[Larisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great compilation of Artists who lived in different times, different places, and as it says in the book “whose poems and art add to our own experiences and histories. From: Countee Cullen to Langston Hughes to Gwendolyn Brooks.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful pairing of artwork and poetry. This book should be in every school collection. A true treasury.

[Crystal Gail Welcome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful compilation of poems and artwork.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read. Do a poem and art piece a day to really spend time with them if you can.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this thinking it was a children’s book.
No. It’s great though.

[Lisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry and art are two of my loves, and it’s always good when they’re together. I especially enjoy Countee Cullen, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Gwendolyn Brooks

[Anna Louise Kallas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just by reading the introduction of Words with Wings, you know you're in for something extraordinary. This amazing book is a compilation of words and images from African-American poets and artists. Spanning generations, the book includes well-known greats such as Langston Hughes and Alice Walker as well as hopeful and intense newcomers. Belinda Rochelle, the book's editor, chose the pieces for the statement they make about African-American culture. She also went to great lengths to match each poem to a fitting work of visual art. Alice Walker's poem "We Alone," for example, is paired with Henry Ossawa Tanner's The Banjo Lesson. The result is a breathtaking duo that improves with every read.

Some of the topics explored by these great works are racism, black pride, poverty, and struggle. While the theme is African-American culture, the human core of all the poems and illustrations will inspire readers of any heritage. The poem "Legacies" by Nikki Giovanni reminds us of the everyday words that we speak and the way no one ever says what they mean; we often remain unaware of the fear and love that surrounds us, Giovanni suggests. Particularly touching is the matching painting, "Saving Prayers" by Horace Pippin, which offers a glimpse into a very private moment between a mother and her children, illuminated even further by Giovanni's powerful words.

The poetry and art represent various styles and formats. From traditional rhyme to free verse, from watercolor to charcoal, these works speak of the human condition with compassion and strength. I picked up this book at work because I had seen one of the paintings this summer at the Smithsonian. I loved the verse associated with this painting. Beautiful book!

[Elizabeth]

Reading this right after Make a Joyful Sound: Poems for Children by African-American Poets , which is clearly aimed at young children, the amount to which this book is not fucking around is almost jarring (but I love it).

The opening poem is Lucille Clifton's "auction street," which ends "then consider brother moses, / who heard from the mountaintop: / take off your shoes, / the ground you walk is holy" -- SO POWERFUL.

And the next poem is Countee Cullen's "The Incident," about being eight years old and called "nigger" in Baltimore -- the poem closes "I saw the whole of Baltimore / From May until December: / Of all the things that happened there / That's all that I remember."

The next poem is "John, Who Is Poor" (by Gwendolyn Brooks) and a few poems later is "Those Winter Sundays" (by Robert Hayden) which ends "What did I know, what I did know / of love's austere and lonely offices?"

Later still, Alice Walker's "We Alone": "We alone can devalue gold / by not caring / if it falls or rises / in the marketplace. / [...] / This could be our revolution / to love what is plentiful / as much as / what's scarce."

This book also repeats poets, and later is Lucille Clifton's "This Morning (for the girls of Eastern High School)" which ends "and all day / i have been / a black bell / ringing / i survive / survive / survive"

[Bianca Greco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words with wings was a very interesting book. I found reading the introduction was very helpful as it set up the book and gave insight about the authors. The book features African-American poets that share their experiences about life and history. The book is comprised of nine poems that cover a wide variety of events and feelings these artist have experienced during life. This book would be appropriate for an upper elementary level student, some words and context of poems would not be appropriate for younger students. I really liked the poem Your World by Georgia Douglas Jonson. I loved the very first line of this poem "Your world is as big as you make it." This poem really resonated with me in a way that I could relate to this persons experiences. There is a combination of poems some are about sorrow and others are more joyous. I overall, thought the book was well rounded and a good way to integrate history lesson during literacy. It's a powerful book that talks about some major events from history and what these artist felt, I think the students would enjoy hearing what theses artist have to share!

[Tyler Marfin]

This multicultural picture book by Belinda Rochelle celebrates African-American poetry and art. The book contains art from many different African-American artists and 20 poems from African-American poets. The artwork is unique and beautiful and shows the reader the culture of the people. The poems themselves are works of art, with magnificent themes and meanings and traditions in them. Some of the poems rhyme, and some do not. This book is a must read, and is a amazing book to read.

[Christa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theme: African-American plight and struggle
Children will experience a sense of community and learn about history through this compilation of poems. Definitely for the young adult, these poems reflect struggle, anger, and strength. Deep thought provoking poetry for more advanced students. Good combination of art and prose that will enlighten young adults.

[McKinzie Elton · Rating 5 out of 5]

On Black Poetry Day, or any other day, have students gather their own books and bookmark webpages that focus on the works of African American poets. Explain the significance of the day. Have a poetry reading, I will share a poem from this book.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful collection of poems.

My personal favorites were "Incident" by Countee Cullen, "Your World" by Georgia Douglas Johnson, "We Alone" by Alice Walker, "This Morning" by Lucille Clifton, and "Human Family" by Maya Angelou.

[Jessica Nieman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this would be a wonderful supplement to learning about African-American history. It helps to understand their culture rather than simply studying the events that happened.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

many lovely poems.

[Lorraine Der · Rating 3 out of 5]

Library Catalog

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mix of short poems by African American authors and beautiful artwork by African American artists. It's a beautiful book to look at.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. A very good selection of poems and the artwork was amazing.

[Lauren White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for all grades. Many beautiful poems and pieces of art.