When students write in response to literature, they make reading a creative act. Recording their personal reaction to a poem or an excerpt from a larger work, students become aware of the complex web of past experiences, associations and ideas triggering their responses; they learn to interact more fully, more consciously, with the text. Besides writing paragraphs on immediate responses, perceived links with stories in movies, television or other readings, and similar personal experiences, students can also create literary journals. Directed by a series of assignments, students can incorporate a variety of writing experiences--personal narrative, short and long essays, research, public and private reflections--and answers to questions on theme, meaning, characterization, and tone and mood, into a record of their growing understanding of how literature influences reader reaction. (Questions and students responses to specific poems are included). (MM)