Joyful Noise was a very interesting read. While on the surface the topic of insects does not seem to be one of depth, I found that many of the poems were somewhat inspiring for me. The voice given to these minute and often overlooked animals, gives a glimpse into the truly complex societies and what can be assumed of their lives. I was lucky enough to engage in reading the text with another person, giving the two voices the attention that the author intended. This greatly changes the way the text is read and how the meaning comes through. The interplay and echoing of the multiple first person voices, really provide a striking emotional response for myself. I found some of these poems to be very relatable, particularly The Digger Wasp. I really liked the in imagery of never seeing the fruits of your labor.
Critically, I really enjoyed the format of dual voices and the reputation that ensues. I feel that it would be a great text for remedial readers. Apart from those struggling readers, I do not think I would use this with high-school students, and maybe a few selections with middle schools. However, it would be a great example for students of the aural characteristics of poetry. I have seen quite a few youtube videos of the recitation of the book. The themes of many of the poems are similar to the experiences of people and therefore of course adolescents will see the connections. Along these same lines, I feel that the metaphoric qualities of comparing insects’ lives to peoples allows for a good framework into examining figurative language and Anthropomorphism.
You say this shouldn't be used for high school readers. I respectfully disagree with that notion. I think, when discussing poetry, it is important to approach a variety of texts -- not just those of advanced language and "academic" value. This book challenges conceptions of what a poem could be. Further, since they are designed to be read aloud, it introduces students to the oral nature of poetry.
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