Top Ten List

 

Heart to Heart: New poems inspired by twentieth-century American art by Jan Greenberg. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001.

ISBN 0810943867

A compilation of new poems by Americans writing about American art in the twentieth century, including writers like Nancy Willard and Jane Yolen. Art work included that inspired the poetry.

 Media: Reproductions of paintings and photographs.

5Q/4P

D. Guhl Summer 2009

 

Heart to Heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art by Jan Greenberg. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001.

 

ISBN: 9780810943865 

 

 

Juxtaposing modern art—from collage to sculpture, photography, and painting—with text written about it by modern poets, Heart to Heart exemplifies the maxim that a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

 

Curricular Connection: High School, subject: art/poetry

 

 

Rating: 5Q/5P

 

Posted by LA 4/6/8

 

 

Lesson Plan: Go Inside a Work of Art

 

Heart to heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth Century American Art by Jan Greenberg. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001.

 

ISBN: 0-8109-4386-7

 

 

Grades: high school—all grades

 

 

Time: 90 minutes (If less time is available, fewer example poems can be used.)

 

 

Supplies: Color photocopies of the following artworks and accompanying poems from Heart to Heart—Early Sunday Morning, by Dan Masterson (pp. 14-15); The Poppy of Georgia O’Keefe, by Janine Pommy Vega (pp. 46-47); Diamante for Chuck, by Jan Greenberg (pp. 48-49); Big French Bread, by Marvin Bell (pp. 44-45); Map, by J. Patrick Lewis (pp. 53-54).

 

 

Reading/Discussion Activity: Have the students form six groups with five to six students in each. Their task is to silently read the poem and then work together to answer the discussion questions below. Each group should choose a recorder to write down the answers, as well as a reader to read the poem to the class and report on the answers. Allow 15-20 minutes for the group work. While each group presents, the teacher can display an image of the artwork being discussed on an overhead screen.

 

 

Early Sunday Morning

 

1. How did Dan Masterson use this painting as a jumping off point for his poem?

    

2. When do you think this poem takes place? Why? Cite supporting details in the poems.

    

3. What is the effect of using ampersands rather than the word “and” in this poem?

    

4. What can you infer about the fate of the brother from the last line of this poem? Why?

    

 

The Poppy of Georgia O’Keefe

 

1. Look up and share the definition of any new words you encountered in this poem.

    

2. What two things is the poppy compared with in this poem?

    

3. Give an example of the use of simile, and cite at least two examples of sensory detail (sound, color, taste, touch, smell).

    

4. What effect does the lack of punctuation have on this poem?

    

 

Diamante for Chuck

 

1. Diamantes have a strict structure, both in the number and type of words. Using this poem as an example, analyze and explain the structure of a diamante.

    

2. What does this poem say about this artwork?

    

3. Where in the poem does the writer shift from writing about the word at the top to writing about the one at the bottom?

    

4. What is the relationship between the top and bottom words?

    

 

 

Map

 

1. Which sensory details in the painting do you think the poet focused on for his poem?

    

2. What view of America does the poet take from this artwork?

    

3. Give an example of personification, alliteration, and simile in this poem.

    

4. What do you think the poet means by “scissored history” and “oxymoronicamerica”?

    

 

Writing Activity: After the presentations, pass out copies (ie: postcards or color photocopies) of artworks, giving each student a different artwork. A good source for artwork, which also has poems written to go along with it, is: http://www.english.emory.edu/classes/paintings&poems/titlepage.html.

Using their example poems as models, have them write poems based on their artworks, telling the story of what is happening in each piece. As in “Early Sunday Morning,” they can write their poems in first person or, as in the other examples, they can step back and describe it from a distance. Ask them to employ at least two literary techniques (ie: simile, alliteration, personification, repetition) in their poems.

 

If time allows, have students share their poems.

 

Posted by LA 4/6/8

 

 

Heart to Heart New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art by Jan Greenberg. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001. ISBN: 9780810943865

 

 

Poems written by professional writers (for adults and children) based on beautiful full-page color reproductions of some of America’s most stunning art pieces.

Highlights the natural link between beautiful art and beautiful expression.

 

 

Color reproductions of art images. 

 

(DM 4.28.08)