cover image Celebrate America: In Poetry and Art

Celebrate America: In Poetry and Art

National Museum of American Art. Hyperion Books, $18.95 (96pp) ISBN 978-1-56282-664-2

Panzer, a director of educational programs at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art, pairs American poems with paintings, sculpture, drawings, photographs and other works of art from that museum, in the hopes of forming ``a kind of synergy... a complementary way of expressing the dynamic rhythms of American life.'' Toward that end she also takes pains to represent artists and poets of both sexes and various socioeconomic groups and cultures. Although the intent is praiseworthy, the volume overall is weak. Neither the design nor the pairing and selection of poems and art seems apt or thoughtfully considered. The blaring typeface used for the titles and the narrow margins make many pages look too busy, and the integration of art and text can seem perfunctory; for example, Joy Harjo's poem ``Remember,'' about the ``dance that language is, that life is,'' is teamed with a fan quilt. The emphasis here is on inclusivity rather than excellence, on art that fits particular categories rather than art that will be accessible to children. Interested parties might prefer Charles Sullivan's brilliant selection of American art and poetry in Imaginary Gardens. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)