Between verses and lives: a poetry workshop as a space for social and literary construction

Abstract

This study investigated how a poetry workshop can serve as a formative tool and a space for social construction among adolescents in a school context. The research, qualitative in nature and grounded in action research, was carried out with 38 young participants in literary workshops developed in partnership with Lar Fabiano, in Belém, Pará. Data collection involved participant observation, textual production, and group discussions, which were later analyzed using content analysis. The results showed that poetry, when experienced in a dialogical and sensitive manner, fosters subjective expression, enables the symbolic elaboration of lived experiences, and promotes creative autonomy. Three central categories emerged: identity and self-perception, resistance and social critique, and resilience. The poems produced revealed internal conflicts, social questioning, experiences of discrimination, and strategies for overcoming adversity, demonstrating poetry as a language of resistance and community strengthening. The workshop also encouraged the integration of different forms of expression, such as drawing and writing, expanding creative repertoires and reinforcing bonds among participants. The study concludes that the poetry workshop functioned as a transformative space capable of promoting critical formation, aesthetic sensitivity, and emotional strengthening. The findings highlight the importance of expanding literary practices in school and community settings, recognizing poetry as a tool for symbolic emancipation and human development.