AP English Literature and Composition students began a “Poet Project” Feb 2., an assignment requiring extensive research on each student’s chosen poet to be presented Feb. 17-18. The title of “poet” for this project goes beyond traditional literature writers, as students are encouraged to research modern day poets and music artists as well. Examples of poets students chose in Emma Lawson’s B1 class include Taylor Swift, Zach Bryan, Edgar Allan Poe and Sylvia Plath.

The project has several components that students are expected to fulfill. Alongside researching their poet’s life and biography, students must also analyze a poem of their selected poet and craft an original poem mimicking their poet’s writing form and style. Rylie Dolan (12) chose Mahmoud Darwish, a more traditional writer who was coined as “Palestine’s national poet.” 

“I was interested in learning more about Darwish’s life,” Dolan said. “I’ve read some of his poems before and I really liked them.”

In contrast to some of the classic poets, examples from classes of previous years inspired many students to select more unconventional ideas for poets. Finn Wootten (12) chose Lana Del Rey as his poet, a popular contemporary singer and songwriter. 

“I chose Lana Del Rey as my poet because I have always loved her music and her lyrics are arguably the strongest aspect of her art, so her poetry book is one of my favorites,” Wootten said. 

Despite both having previous knowledge of their selected poets, Wootten and Dolan view this project as an opportunity to analyze their poet’s career and work more in depth. 

“Although I’m a huge fan of LDR’s poetry, I can’t say I have done any serious analysis of the different poems,” Wootten said. “I will definitely need to do research on the themes and meanings of the many different poems she has released.” 

The project ultimately prompts understanding of poetry in context of different time periods. While Rey’s discography is related to modern American pop culture, much of Darwish’s work explores themes of violence and loss in his country. 

“I’m excited to learn more about Darwish’s life and what it was like to be a poet in times of war and conflict,” Dolan said.