Forty Years of Verse: How Poetry Brightens London's Commute
For four decades, a quiet revolution has been unfolding on the London Underground. It’s not a revolution of strikes or protests, but one of words, artfully arranged on posters, transforming the daily grind of commuting into moments of reflection, amusement, and connection. This year marks the 40th anniversary of "Poems on the Underground," a visionary project that began with a simple question from an American writer living in London: could a few lines of poetry make the journey underground a little less mundane?
The answer, it seems, has been a resounding yes. Since its inception in 1986, "Poems on the Underground" has become a beloved fixture of the city's transit system. Millions of Londoners have encountered these curated verses, nestled amongst the usual advertisements, as they navigate their daily travels. The project’s success has not only endured but has also inspired similar initiatives in cities across the globe, proving the universal appeal of literature in unexpected places.
A Visionary Beginning
The brainchild of Judith Chernaik, a novelist and essayist who moved to London from New York in the 1970s, the project emerged from her deep appreciation for her adopted city and its rich literary heritage. Chernaik found London's public transport system a far cry from her less-than-pleasant experiences with the New York subway. She fell in love with London, and as she rode the Tube, she pondered how to integrate poetry, an integral part of London's cultural fabric, into the daily lives of its inhabitants.
“Poetry,” Chernaik stated, “is part of the heritage of every Londoner.” This sentiment, coupled with a desire to share that heritage, led her, along with fellow poets Gerard Benson and Cecily Herbert, to propose the idea to the subway operator. The proposal was met with enthusiasm, and in January 1986, the first poems graced the walls of the Underground.
Now 91, Chernaik reflected on the project's longevity: “Somehow the idea of it worked, and here we are, 40 years on.”
A Diverse Tapestry of Verse
The inaugural year featured an impressive lineup of literary giants. Passages from William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, W.B. Yeats, and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s iconic "Ozymandias" were among the first to be displayed. William Carlos Williams’ concise imagist poem, "This is Just to Say," with its relatable opening lines about stolen plums, also made an early appearance.
Over the years, the selection has broadened significantly, embracing a global spectrum of voices. Poets like Wole Soyinka, Pablo Neruda, Derek Walcott, and Anna Akhmatova have all had their work featured. The selection is refreshed three times annually, with Chernaik remaining an active member of the selection panel, alongside contemporary poets George Szirtes and Imtiaz Dharker.
This curated collection thoughtfully blends modern verse with timeless classics. Ann Gavaghan, who oversees cultural projects at Transport for London, explained that the offerings range "from Shakespeare and Sappho to poets that are really contemporary." The variety is vast, encompassing sonnets and haikus, love poems, tragic narratives, humorous pieces, and deeply relatable works like Hungarian poet Katalin Szlukovényi’s "Overcrowding," a piece that speaks directly to the commuter experience.
Poetry for the People, by the People
Nick Makoha, whose poem "BOM" (the airport code for Mumbai) was displayed in 2020, highlighted the project's democratizing effect on poetry. He argued that poetry is often perceived as an intellectual pursuit, accessible only to the highly educated. However, Makoha emphasized, "Poets are normal people, writing about sometimes normal things, sometimes amazing things."
He further asserted, "Poetry belongs to the community. It should be part of our daily lives, and the Underground is part of daily life. So, as it connects us to places, it also connects us to people. You could be sitting at Turnpike Lane (Tube station), and all of a sudden I’ve taken you to Bombay.” This ability to transport and connect is a powerful testament to the project's impact.
More Than Just Decoration
While London's transit system faces its share of challenges – including delays, overcrowding, and cleanliness concerns – it has long been celebrated for its artistic contributions. The iconic Tube map is a design classic, and for a century, top artists have been commissioned to create its posters. "Poems on the Underground" is now a cherished part of this artistic legacy, having spawned several books and inspired similar initiatives in cities such as New York, Dublin, Oslo, and Shanghai.
Gavaghan believes the project's enduring success lies in its ability to provide passengers with a moment of respite from their daily routines. “If you’ve had a hard day and you’re wrapped up in your own worries and cares, being able to see something on the Underground that makes you think, that kind of shocks you out of that, is a real nice thing to have," she remarked. "And it could make you laugh, it could make you think. It really makes you empathize. That’s really powerful. And it’s important to have, and that’s why it’s still going after 40 years.”
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