The British Isles, which encompass Wales,Scotland, and Ireland as well as England,have produced much of the world's most colorful poetry and art. Some of these works trace a turbulent history of social conflict--invasions, wars,rebellions, strikes, uprisings--from earliest times to the present, from ancient Picts and Celts to East Indian immigrants, as various cultures have struggled against one another. Other writings and artworks deal with the basic values that bind societies together--family, home, class structure, tradition.And some are inspired by the passionate pursuit of other ideals, such as adventure, romance, beauty,and truth.

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In this volume, works of poets and artists are paired according to themes: Shakespeare and William Blake on kingship, W. B. Yeats and Paula Rego on childhood, Carol Ann Duffy and R. B. Kitaj on being foreign, Seamus Heaney and Richard Hamilton on military power, Andrew Marvell and John Singer Sargent on lasting beauty. In addition to the work of these and other well-established figures, the collection includes poetry and art by some lesser-known or unknown writers and artists:anonymous verses, old snapshots, Dublin street ballads, nonsense rhymes, Welsh rock lyrics, graffiti,black-and-white drawings from the London press, a speech in the House of Commons, and even the hastily scribbled prayer of a Scottish queen about to lose her head.

Charles Sullivan has assembled a montage of words and pictures that presents the British Isles and their inhabitants from differing viewpoints and relates the histories, interactions, and cultures of the complex people who have come to be known as English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh.

To the Reader

THIS ENGLAND

 Defense of the Realm

 Kings, Lords, and Commons

 Coming of Age

OTHER KINGDOMS

 Wales

 Scotland

 Ireland

SHARED VALUES

 Adventure

 Home-Thoughts

 Truth, Beauty

Index of Artists

Index of Poets

Acknowledgments