From: Monica R. Edinger <edinger>
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 09:54:47 -0400

Must this be an either or sort of thing? I enjoy listening to poetry, reading it, and sometimes reading it along with illustrations. I understand the concern, but think it all depends. It isn't just me; I have students who are more auditorily oriented, others more visual, and still others who are over-all physically oriented; In fact, this reminds me of a colleague who was a dancer and does remarkable kinaestheic stuff with children, music, and poetry.

And I can think of several poets who come together fabulously (at least for me) with illustrations although they can, of course, be enjoyed for the words alone as well. Lewis Carroll's Alice poems/songs do brilliantly alone and with Tenniel as well. Or how about don marquis's archy and mehitabel? I remember years ago coming across one of my favorites (the song of mehitabel) in a textbook with horribly cutsey illstrations. I wanted don marquis's scruffy spot ones! Can't think of mehitabel and archy without them. And I will always love my childhood copy of T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (pre?ts and pre-Gorey) which is at home so I don't recall the illustrator (but it was from the 40s, I believe).

I have one recent book that I think is a remarkably clever visual reworking of that old saw, "Casey at the Bat" copiously and faithfully illustrated by Christopher Bing."

So, just as I hope that poetry doesn't have to be a love or hate it sort of thing so I feel the same way about illustrated poetry.

Monica poetry appreciator



Monica Edinger The Dalton School New York NY edinger at dalton.org monicaedinger at yahoo.com
Received on Wed 16 Apr 2003 08:54:47 AM CDT