As fascination with "el Día de los Muertos" has grown in the U.S., the number of arts organizations and museums organizing public events for it increases every year, and in many cases, organizations are more committed to providing an entertainment experience rather than educating audiences about a traditional ritual. Amid these developments, the practice of reading and writing literary "calaveras" can refocus attention on the deeper meanings, traditions, and creative possibilities of the festival. This article describes the collaboration of Carolina Quiroga, a Colombian-born professional storyteller, with Ashlee Collins, an arts educator at the Living Arts and Science Center (LASC) in Lexington, Kentucky, the author, and other members of LASC's administrative team. The project guided a diverse group of Title I middle-school students in one of LASC's after-school programs through educational activities related to "el Día de los Muertos" in the fall of 2020. Because the project was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, Carolina and Ashlee interacted with students in a virtual classroom on Zoom. It was a surprise that one of the most successful activities was a lesson that introduced students to the poetry of "calaveras" and involved the students in writing their own. Drawing on observations of the after-school activities and interviews with Carolina and Ashlee, this article addresses how the project originated, what was learned from it, and how it can inspire further study and use of "calaveras" in museum educational programs. It is believed that programs involving calaveras can enrich the experience of "el Día de los Muertos" by inspiring different forms of vernacular creativity, providing more occasions for reflection, and building relationships between museum educators, students, and local communities.