Joyful Noise - Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman - Illustrated by Eric Beddows

Once again Paul Fleischman's artful genius surfaces to the top! The orchestration of words and phrases creates a harmony of meaning and description that transcends the printed word. This collection of poems about insects makes the reader empathize with the life of each insect in a celebratory way. The first poem in the collection, "Grasshoppers" gives the sensation of movement and energetic leaping with the concurrent chorus of words read by two voices. The emphasis on action verbs is evident and creates the imagery so evident in this poem. The next poem, "Water Striders" emanates the feeling of plodding along in a slow, but steady manner. There is rhythm in the phrasing that seems to emulate the sense of striding as befits the insect's name, water striders. I was particularly affected by the poem, "Fireflies" which imbues the metaphoric description comparing fireflies to writing: 'Light is the ink we use...' and 'six-legged scribblers....signing the June nights.' How long have those fireflies waited for that poem to celebrate their unique design? I always wondered how and why moths are so attracted to lights. The poem, "The Moth's Serenade" entwines the words as if two lovers are singing a duet and courting with passionate exchange - a moth and it's light, Ahhh! Again the harmony of the two voices speaking in unison to embrace the words and the solo emphasis on the meaningful words sparkles within the phrases . The poem, "The Digger Wasp" seemed to be a self-written epitaph from a martyr. She seemed so devoted to the life of her young, and she was committed to be part of the circle of life she so articulately described. The last poem in the book seemed most masterful, "Chrysalis Diary." I had never thought to try to think about life around the chrysalis as it goes through the metamorphasis of becoming a butterfly. Again, the use of two voices to share the oberservation from the chrysalis's point of view is figurative language to its utmost. Imagine the chrysalis viewing falling snowflakes from its window! What a vision! Indeed, Fleischman has set a precedent with his orchestrating words to blend and flow to create these unique images. For students who are not involved with music in any way this collection of poems enables those students to experience the sense of harmony that can be created by blending the beautiful sounds and meanings of words in these poems.