Saturday, August 30, 2008

Reader Poll: What Would You Choose for a Cover Image for Anthology of Peace Poems?

Ann Smith, Larry Smith, and I have been co-editing an anthology of peace poems called COME TOGETHER: IMAGINE PEACE, and we've been considering cover images. Here are a sample of some of them. Of these, which would you choose? If you have other ideas, send them along. Thanks in advance for your contribution. One of the difficulties of choosing is that peace itself summons, on the one hand, iconic images that tend toward the cliche, and on the other, not images themselves but attitudes, relations, emotions not limitable to image per se.



10 comments:

RazRocks said...

The 3rd and 4th ones are the best. I feel that they are simple and they get the point across.

-Raz

So It Shall Be Written said...

Hi Phillip - I don't know. The "peace sign" has its roots in the European Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, I think. I wonder if there isn't a newer or more "fresh" image. Just a thought. Covers are tough because of course, people do "judge a book by its..."

Good Luck-- J. Ross

Philip Metres said...

Joseph,

the peace symbol, indeed, is both recent and a little worn. But I happen to like the first of these images, for the way in which it embodies it, as a collective meditative, and demonstrative symbolic action. I'd love to see any other images that might compete with these!

Philip Metres said...

And Raz, thanks for your feedback as well. A good cover might need to balance simplicity/clarity with eye-catching attractiveness.

Philip Metres said...

And where's my ARARAT?!!

peace,

Chaerephon said...

I make no guarantees about the rights/permission that would be necessary to secure in order to use these images, but I liked 'em:

Peace sign with sparklers, from some dude's Flickr page.

Peace sign sculpture in a field, from projectpeacesign.org.

Peace sign tree, from something called protophoto.com. This is peace sign as in fingers-in-v-shape, not the other symbol.

US Flag with peace sign for stars, from the Library of Congress.

..and actually at this site, you can search on "peace" and find tons of other images, including old political cartoons, lots of Vietnam-era posters and prints, and other weird stuff. Hooray for tax dollars --

Philip Metres said...

Thanks Jim. Happy Worker's Paradise.

runnerfrog said...

budapest_hungary.jpg

RazRocks said...

Haha sorry about Ararat, my brothers friend has yet to mail it to us. When he does it will be in your hands!

-Raz

Chasing Wind Mills, Why Not? said...

I am a freind of EJ McAdams and he gave me the address to your blog, its wonderful thanks. I like the top picture for the book. I assume you will let out the word when it is ready, peace, fellow poet,
ko shin, Bob Hanson