Joyful Noise Read online

  DEDICATIONS

  * * *

  For Seth, our porch light

  P. F.

  for E. H. and Echo Hill Farm with its

  wonderful fireflies

  E. B.

  CONTENTS

  * * *

  Dedication

  Note

  Grasshoppers

  Water Striders

  Mayflies

  Fireflies

  Book Lice

  The Moth’s Serenade

  Water Boatmen

  The Digger Wasp

  Cicadas

  Honeybees

  Whirligig Beetles

  Requiem

  House Crickets

  Chrysalis Diary

  Excerpt from I Am Phoenix

  About the Author and Illustrator

  Also by Paul Fleischman

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  NOTE

  The following poems were written to be read aloud by two readers at once, one taking the left-hand part, the other taking the right-hand part. The poems should be read from top to bottom, the two parts meshing as in a musical duet. When both readers have lines at the same horizontal level, those lines are to be spoken simultaneously.

  Grasshoppers

  * * *

  Sap’s rising

  Ground’s warming

  Grasshoppers are Grasshoppers are

  hatching out hatching out

  Autumn-laid eggs

  splitting

  Young stepping

  into spring

  Grasshoppers Grasshoppers

  hopping hopping

  high

  Grassjumpers Grassjumpers

  jumping jumping

  far

  Vaulting from

  leaf to leaf

  stem to stem leaf to leaf

  plant to plant stem to stem

  Grass-

  leapers leapers

  Grass-

  bounders bounders

  Grass-

  springers springers

  Grass-

  soarers soarers

  Leapfrogging Leapfrogging

  longjumping longjumping

  grasshoppers. grasshoppers.

  Water Striders

  * * *

  Whenever we’re asked Whenever we’re asked

  if we walk upon water if we walk upon water

  we answer we answer

  Of course.

  To be sure.

  It’s quite true.

  Whenever we’re asked Whenever we’re asked

  if we walk on it often if we walk on it often

  we answer we answer

  Quite often.

  Each day.

  All day through.

  Should we be questioned Should we be questioned

  on whether it’s easy on whether it’s easy

  we answer we answer

  Quite easy.

  A snap.

  It’s a cinch.

  Should we be told Should we be told

  that it’s surely a miracle that it’s surely a miracle

  we reply we reply

  Balderdash!

  Rubbish!

  Nonsense!

  Whenever we’re asked Whenever we’re asked

  for instructions for instructions

  we always say we always say

  Come to the pond’s edge

  and do as we do.

  Put down one foot

  and then put down another,

  resting upon the thin film

  on the surface.

  Believe me, there’s no call

  at all to be nervous

  as long as you’re reasonably

  mindful that you—

  But by that time our student But by that time our student

  no matter how prudent

  has usually has usually

  don’t ask me why

  sunk from view. sunk from view.

  Mayflies

  * * *

  Your moment

  Mayfly month

  Your hour

  Mayfly year

  Your trifling day

  Our life

  We’re mayflies

  We’re mayflies

  just emerging

  just emerging

  rising from the river,

  born this day in May

  birthday

  and dying day,

  this particle of time

  this single sip of living

  all that we’re allowed.

  We’re mayflies

  We’re mayflies

  by the millions

  by the millions

  fevered

  frenzied

  rushed

  no redwood’s centuries

  to squander as we please.

  We’re mayflies

  We’re mayflies

  swarming, swerving,

  swarming, swerving,

  rising high

  then falling,

  courting on the wing,

  then mating in midair.

  We’re mayflies

  We’re mayflies

  laying eggs

  laying eggs

  our final, frantic act.

  Sun’s low

  light’s weak

  in haste we launch them

  down the stream.

  We’re mayflies

  We’re mayflies

  lying dying

  lying dying

  floating by the millions

  on the very stream

  from which we sprung

  so very long ago

  this morning

  back when we were

  back when we were

  young.

  young.

  Fireflies

  * * *

  Light Light

  is the ink we use

  Night Night

  is our parchment

  We’re

  fireflies

  fireflies flickering

  flitting

  flashing

  fireflies

  glimmering fireflies

  gleaming

  glowing

  Insect calligraphers Insect calligraphers

  practicing penmanship

  copying sentences

  Six-legged scribblers Six-legged scribblers

  of vanishing messages,

  fleeting graffiti

  Fine artists in flight Fine artists in flight

  adding dabs of light

  bright brush strokes

  Signing the June nights Signing the June nights

  as if they were paintings as if they were paintings

  We’re

  flickering fireflies

  fireflies flickering

  fireflies. fireflies.

  Book Lice

  * * *

  I was born in a

  fine old edition of Schiller

  While I started life

  in a private eye thriller

  We’re book lice We’re book lice

  who dwell who dwell

  in these dusty bookshelves. in these dusty bookshelves.

  Later I lodged in

  Scott’s works—volume 50

  While I passed my youth

  in an Agatha Christie

  We’re book lice We’re book lice

  attached attached

  despite contrasting pasts. despite contrasting pasts.

  One day, while in search of

  a new place to eat

  He fell down seven shelves,

  where we happened to meet

  We’re book lice We’re book lice

  who chew who chew

  on the bookbinding glue. on the bookbinding gl
ue.

  We honeymooned in an

  old guide book on Greece

  I missed Conan Doyle,

  he pined for his Keats

  We’re book lice We’re book lice

  fine mates fine mates

  despite different tastes. despite different tastes.

  So we set up our home

  inside Roger’s Thesaurus

  Not far from my mysteries,

  close to his Horace

  We’re book lice We’re book lice

  adoring adoring

  despite his loud snoring. despite his loud snoring.

  And there we’ve resided,

  and there we’ll remain,

  He nearby his Shakespeare,

  I near my Spillane

  We’re book-loving We’re book-loving

  book lice book lice

  plain proof of the fact

  which I’m certain I read

  in a book some months back

  that opposites that opposites

  often are known often are known

  to attract. to attract.

  The Moth’s Serenade

  * * *

  Porch Porch

  light, light,

  hear my plight! hear my plight!

  I drink your light

  like nectar like nectar

  Dream of you

  by day by day

  Gaze in your eyes

  all night all night

  Porch light! Porch light!

  Bright paradise!

  I am I am

  your seeking

  circling seeking

  sighing circling

  lovesick sighing

  knight

  You are You are

  my soul’s

  my soul’s desire

  desire my prize

  my prize my eyes’

  delight

  Porch light! Porch light!

  My shining star!

  My compass needle’s North!

  “Keep back,” they say “Keep back,” they say

  I can’t!

  “Don’t touch,” they say “Don’t touch,” they say

  I must!

  Porch light! Porch light!

  Let’s clasp Let’s kiss

  Let’s kiss Let’s clasp

  Let’s marry for a trice! Let’s marry for a trice!

  Porch light! Porch light!

  Let’s meet Let’s merge

  Let’s merge Let’s meet

  Let’s live for love!

  For light! For light!

  Water Boatmen

  * * *

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  We’re water boatmen

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  up early, rowing

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  We’re cockswain calling

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  and oarsmen straining

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  and six-man racing shell

  rolled into one.

  We’re water boatmen

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  worn-out from rowing

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  Bound for the bottom

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  of this deep millpond

  “Stroke!” “Stroke!”

  where we arrive

  and shout the order

  “Rest!” “Rest!”

  The Digger Wasp

  * * *

  I will never

  see my children,

  they will never

  gaze on me.

  I’ll have died

  when they’re emerging

  next July.

  So it must be. So it must be.

  Yet, when they

  behold the home

  I’m digging now

  for their protection,

  safe and snug

  far underground,

  they’ll recognize they’ll recognize

  my deep affection. my deep affection.

  When they hatch

  and find a caterpillar,

  stung and paralyzed,

  left by me

  for them to eat

  they’ll know as well they’ll know as well

  that I was wise. that I was wise.

  When they learn

  I’d dragged it there

  in spite of every

  interference,

  weeds and rocks

  and thieving beetles,

  they’ll discern they’ll discern

  my perseverance. my perseverance.

  While, cocooned,

  they pass the winter

  safe from snow

  and ice and chill,

  they’ll perceive

  and thank me for

  my formidable my formidable

  digging skill. digging skill.

  By the time they’re

  ready, next July,

  to climb up from their cells

  and break the burrow’s seal

  and fly away

  my young will my young will

  know me well. know me well.

  When they care

  for their own children,

  never to be looked upon,

  they’ll feel my love

  in replica in replica

  and know that they, in turn,

  were cherished

  by the mother digger wasp

  whose face and form whose face and form

  they never saw. they never saw.

  Cicadas

  * * *

  Afternoon, mid-August

  Two cicadas singing Two cicadas singing

  Air kiln-hot, lead-heavy

  Five cicadas humming Five cicadas humming

  Thunderheads northwestward

  Twelve cicadas buzzing Twelve cicadas buzzing

  Up and down the street

  the mighty choir’s the mighty choir’s

  assembling assembling

  Shrill cica-

  das Ci-

  droning cadas

  droning

  in the elms

  Three years Three years

  spent underground

  among the roots

  in darkness in darkness

  Now they’re breaking ground

  and climbing up

  the tree trunks

  splitting skins

  and singing and singing

  Jubilant

  rejoicing cicadas

  pouring out their

  fervent praise fervent praise

  for heat and light

  their hymn their hymn

  sung to the sun

  Cicadas Cicadas

  whining

  whin-

  ing ci-

  cadas

  whirring

  whir-

  ring ci-

  cadas

  pulsing

  pulsing

  chanting from the treetops chanting from the treetops

  sending

  forth their sending

  booming forth their

  boisterous booming

  joyful noise! joyful noise!

  Honeybees

  * * *

  Being a bee Being a bee

  is a joy.

  is a pain.

  I’m a queen

  I’m a worker

  I’ll gladly explain. I’ll gladly explain.

  Upon rising, I’m fed

  by my royal attendants,

  I’m up at dawn, guarding

  the hive’s narrow entrance

  I’m bathed

  then I take out

  the hive’s morning trash

  then I’m groomed.

  then I put in an hour

  making wax,

  without two minutes’ time

  to sit still and relax.

  The rest of my day

  is quite simply set forth:

  Then I might collect
nectar

  from the field

  three miles north

  I lay eggs,

  or perhaps I’m on

  larva detail

  by the hundred.

  feeding the grubs

  in their cells,

  wishing that I were still

  helpless and pale.

  I’m loved and I’m lauded,

  I’m outranked by none.

  Then I pack combs with

  pollen—not my idea of fun.

  When I’ve done

  enough laying

  Then, weary, I strive

  I retire

  to patch up any cracks

  in the hive.

  for the rest of the day.

  Then I build some new cells,

  slaving away at

  enlarging this Hell,

  dreading the sight

  of another sunrise,

  wondering why we don’t

  all unionize.

  Truly, a bee’s is the Truly, a bee’s is the

  worst best

  of all lives. of all lives.

  Whirligig Beetles

  * * *

  We’re whirligig beetles

  we’re swimming in circles, We’re whirligig beetles

  black backs by the hundred. we’re swimming in circles,

  black backs by the hundred.

  We’re spinning and swerving

  We’re spinning and swerving as if we were on a

  as if we were on a mad merry-go-round.

  mad merry-go-round.

  We never get dizzy

  from whirling and weaving We never get dizzy

  and wheeling and swirling. from whirling and weaving