Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths
1 Hardcover/1 CD (see all formats)

Singer introduced the innovative poetry form of reverso poems in her book Mirror Mirror in 2010. Reverso poems are clever literary miracles. Each consists of two sister poems: the first is read top to bottom, then flipped vertically and read from bottom to top. The only changes made to the lines are capitalizations and punctuation. But those small changes and the flipping of the poem lines create entirely new meaning and perspective. While the subjects of Singer’s reverso poems in Mirror Mirror and its companion book, Follow Follow, were well-known fairy tales, here she turns her attention to a dozen Greek myths. Read aloud by the author and actor Joe Morton, the poems share the myths from opposing perspectives. Singer voices the female characters, while Morton voices the men. Standout poems include “Perseus and Medusa,” “Narcissus and Echo,” and “Icarus and Daedalus.” The readings are accompanied by pipe, string, and percussion orchestrations and basic sound effects, followed by a brief summary of the myth brought to life. Both narrators perform with enthusiasm and deftly evoke the personalities of the mythical characters. VERDICT This gorgeously performed production will inspire student interest in poetry and mythology, and is a must-have for libraries and classrooms.

Singer invented the clever “reverso” poetry form, which can be read both up and down, with different meanings in each direction. Every poem tells two sides of the same Greek myth. Singer’s fine literary craft is enhanced by the dual narration of the author herself and Morton, along with sound effects and music. Especially effective are poems with a male and female character, as in the poem where Morton voices King Midas and Singer his daughter. When poems shift in emotion, the narration shifts as well, so one feels Demeter’s anger at her daughter’s loss and her joy at being reunited. Unlike with Singer’s earlier fairy-tale collections, children may lack familiarity with the myths. The brief tellings of the myths placed after the poems would be better placed before the poems to ground listeners. Cunning points of view and excellent narration make this fun for fans of myth as well as in drama and literature classrooms.

Author-narrator Marilyn Singer and narrator Joe Morton transport listeners of all ages into the world of Greek mythology with this collection of reverso poetry—poems that can be read top to bottom or bottom to top. Each work imparts a different meaning depending on the direction of the reading. Ponder whether Pandora or Zeus might be responsible for the release of the contents of the infamous box, for example, or how different are the feelings of Icarus and his father. Singer and Morton narrate with purposeful pacing, leaving time between words, phrases, and lines. Their elocution includes crisp words, elongated sounds emphasizing alliteration, and moments of high drama that are loud or sneering, melancholic or playful. Each poem is followed by a brief explanation of the myth it is based on. Spot-on sound effects and music, and an author's note complete the production.