Joyful Noise is a rather unique read. It contrasts very heavily with the socially conscious and emotionally charged books we have been reading so far. I can honestly say I never thought I'd read a book of poetry told from the points of view of insects.
During my undergrad, I had a strong interest in slam poetry (that interest contributed towards my desire to become an English teacher). Joyful Noise reminded me of the musical nature of slam poetry (which does sometimes include two performers doing a piece together). I found it somewhat difficult to read both parts simultaneously when they diverged. The poems find their merit when read aloud as they are supposed to be, and fortunately there are several recitations available online. The majority of the poems had readers mirror one another or alternate between lines. This created a strong rhythmic effect. There were a few instances in which the readers would say different words or phrases simultaneously. I found this to be particularly effective; the juxtaposition of words created a disharmonious contrast, breaking the pattern of the poem. I also believe that these poems are a good example of nature imagery. Additionally, they effectively bring the reader into the perspective of a bee or a book louse or a firefly.
I think these would be great to include in a poetry unit with students to get them engaged in reading the poems aloud. The duet aspect makes it hard to read alone as an assignment, but it would make for good classwork. The poems could challenge students' preconceptions of what they believe a poem to be or not be, while serving to illustrate how a reader can be brought understand how they can understand the perspective of a narrator, even if they have nothing in common. Ultimately, the poems are lighthearted and fun, and the illustrations help to enunciate the natural imagery found within the text, making the work accessible to a wide range of readers.
I like that you mentioned the disharmony that is created when two speakers are reciting divergent lines simultaneously. I did not focus much on the choral aspect of the poems in my reflection, so the idea of disharmony (seen formally on the page and heard during recitation) did not occur to me. The motif of disharmony also made me reflect now on the title of the collection for the first time. The notion of "Joyful Noise" itself is somewhat disharmonious, and I think teasing out this idea of disharmony throughout the collection makes the text easily classifiable as a consummate piece of young adult literature. This is because adolescence is, across a number of contexts, a lot about disharmony. The collection therefore provides a great opportunity for students to perform that disharmony.
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