Paint Me a Poem: new poems inspired by art in the Tate

This book made me want to rush off to the nearest art gallery with a pen and notebook. Produced as part of the Tate’s brilliant Visual Paths arts education project, the book is a stunning example of arts education done well. Poet Grace Nichols’ residency at the Tate introduced children to both the gallery and to poetry. Arranged by theme the book looks at 20 pieces of art, starting in 1576 and ending in the 1980s and covering a wide range of art movements. Grace’s evocative and probing poems examine the works and stand alongside poems written by the children who came to her workshops. It shows what wonderful work children can produce with the right inspiration and encouragement. The poets’ and the children’s eyes add layers to looking at the artworks. Beautifully produced, the book finishes with a section on the artists, some poetry exercises and explanation of various poetic forms all written by Colin Grigg, the co-ordinator of Visual Paths. If this doesn’t draw children to art and to poetry, nothing will.