Poetry goes beyond words

Forty Iowa State University students have expanded their understanding of art and poetry as they created "tactile poetry" to be accessible to the blind and others with disabilities.
 
As part of their coursework in Iowa Poet Laureate Mary Swander's undergraduate poetry class, the students worked in small groups to produce original poetry in words and, in addition, tactile or audible representations of those poems.
 
Their works, plus one from Swander, are on display through January in the Department for the Blind's Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The exhibit, "More Than Words: A Tactile and Audible Poetry Experience," will then travel to be on display at ISU and possibly other locations around the state of Iowa. 

"The words in a poem create a 'visual' component that augments its meaning. The enhanced experience created with poetry offers the personal enrichment that is essential to us at the Library for the Blind," says library Director Tracey Morsek. 

Morsek adds that tactile art is an important component of the library. It housed the installation of "Please Touch the Art," an exhibit by nationally renowned artist Ann Cunningham.

"These exhibits allow the blind or disabled to experience different art forms and they also serve as a way to broaden the horizon of the general public," Morsek said.

Swander says this exhibit also provides a valuable learning experience for her students.

"After meeting with the Library for the Blind in October, I was asked to create poetry that was accessible to the blind," Swander said. "This seemed like an interesting challenge that would be good for my undergraduate students."

The exhibit consists of 8 poems and accompanying tactile representations, plus one original song. Each work has an audio, Braille and printed version of the poem on display.