Poetry, while often thought of as a way to express one’s feelings, is rarely thought of as an interactive experience. 

Poetry is frequently seen as a series of words on paper, and lacks a way for those who read it to become involved in the created work.

Ms. Lynch brought poetry to life for her AP Literature classes. 

To help students become invested in their poem choices for Poetry Out Loud, Lynch had students decorate lockers in the 200s hallway to represent the meaning and ideas of their selected poem.

These lockers contain an examination of the poem the student selected, exploring the devices the poet used and the meaning of the poem itself. 

Once these devices and meanings were explained and determined, students brought in artifacts that best represented their poems.

After discovering last year that there were available lockers in the 200s hallway, Lynch decided to give this assignment to her AP Literature classes.

“Lockers are receptacles for treasures, as well as for secrets,” said Lynch. “They seemed an ideal display for artifacts and explications of poetry, therefore.”

The AP literature curriculum requires students to be able to analyze and discuss poetry. 

By giving students a way to physically interact with poetry, Lynch hopes that they will be given a deeper
understanding of their chosen poems.

“The project has dual purposes—I hoped students would develop more of a personal connection with their poems if given a way of exploring them organically,” said Lynch. “I also hoped students would view their poems with greater complexity as a result of the project. I hope that students got to know the speakers of their poem better, and I hope they gained confidence in their roles as literary analysts by service as the expert for their particular poem.”

The lockers are on display for the school to view and open for viewers to interact with them. 

“As for the goal of the lockers (vs. the locker project), it is to illuminate the poem for the viewer,” said Lynch. “If done well, the locker should help the viewer better understand the poem and better feel the emotions in the poem.”

Though this project was completed by the AP Literature students, Lynch sees these displays as an outlet with which other classes can interact.

 “I typically engage my seniors in a personal reflective writing at the end of the year, as well as with texts that offer advice/life reflections,” said Lynch. “The locker displays may serve such a purpose well.”

These lockers have and will continue to allow students to see poetry through a new perspective, giving poetry a way to jump off the page.