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

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.

These are just some of the works of art you will find in this stunning collection that pairs twenty poems by distinglushed African-American poets with twenty works of art by acclaimed African-American artists.

Alice Walker's poem "Women" -- about women who "battered down/Doors/And ironed/Starched white/Shirts" so their children would get a good education -- is paired with the breathtaking portrait Harriet Tubman, by William H. Johnson. The tender "Little Brown Baby" by poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, and artist Romare Bearden's Family reflect the deep love parents feel for their children.

African-American identity and history are powerfully evoked in art and poetry about slavery, racism, and black pride. But African-American poetry and art have no boundaries, and these poets and artists explore many other themes as well, that will touch your heart, and dazzle your eyes.

This important collection inspires imagination as it pairs splendid poets and artists in a way that has never been done before.

“Children will find not only history and community but also childhood experiences here.” - Riverbank Review