07.01.11
Pure poetry
The “pure genius” of the Poems on the Underground series is celebrating a quarter of a century captivating tube travellers with a fresh batch of verses.
Transport for London said the new set of poems will start appearing in carriages this month – chosen by a team led by Judith Chernaik, the brainchild behind the original idea in January 1986.
Two poets who featured in the very first selection return this month: Seamus Heaney and Grace Nichols.
Nobel Laureate Mr Heaney said: “In his poem 'Orpheus' W.H. Auden asked whether poetry is meant to make us 'bewildered and happy' or to add to our knowledge of life. For 25 years Poems on the Underground have been doing both things for millions of readers. If the scheme were not provided it would have to be invented.”
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: “Poems on the Underground is a stroke of pure genius and that’s why it’s stood the test of time. Mozart used to see colours when he composed and we hope this new set of poems will make Londoners journeys more colourful and interesting.”
Judith Chernaik, the founder of Poems on the Underground, said: “After 25 years it’s amazing to think that such a simple concept is still going strong.”
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