- New summer poems launch on 1 June and include William Shakespeare’s “Song”, from The Merchant of Venice, alongside contemporary British poet Maura Dooley’s “A Bunch of Consolation”
- Special leaflet celebrating the 40th anniversary of Poems on the Underground will feature forty of the best-loved poems to have appeared on the Underground
- Launch event at Covent Garden Tube station will feature live readings from celebrated poets
- As part of TfL’s wider cultural offer, customers inspired by the programme can explore more of London’s cultural scene, including 2-for-1 on tickets to BFI Southbank until 31 August
Transport for London (TfL) today announces a new summer series of Poems on the Underground, launching across the network from 1 June, as part of its wider programme bringing arts and culture into everyday journeys. The new series coincides with the 40th anniversary of the much-loved initiative, marked with a special commemorative leaflet celebrating its legacy.
To mark the launch, a special reading event will take place at Covent Garden later this month, where invited poets will perform a selection of poems that have featured on the Underground over the past four decades. Attendees will be among the first to receive copies of the new anniversary leaflet, which will subsequently be available at selected London Underground stations.
The summer selection brings together poetry exploring memory, reflection and the moments that shape our lives. William Shakespeare’s “Song” from The Merchant of Venice will appear alongside Maura Dooley’s “A Bunch of Consolation”. In “When I Was a Fish” and “Letter”, Polish poets Krystyna Lenkowska and Tadeusz Dąbrowski reflect on life experiences in strikingly different ways. Meanwhile, “A Rousing Speech” by Glyn Maxwell and “No One Mentioned the Roofer” by Irish poet and playwright Rita Ann Higgins highlight how fleeting encounters can reveal deeper human stories.
As part of the 40th anniversary celebrations, TfL is also publishing a commemorative leaflet featuring forty of the best-loved poems ever displayed on the Underground. The collection spans centuries and continents, with writers ranging from John Donne and Po Chu-i to contemporary poets including Leanne O’Sullivan and Roger Robinson, reflecting the diversity of London itself.
Alongside the programme, TfL is continuing to support access to culture across the capital. For those inspired to discover more of London’s cultural scene, 2-for-1 on tickets to BFI Southbank is available to TfL customers until 31 August, offering greater access to one of the capital’s most distinctive cinema experiences.* Across four screens by the river, BFI Southbank will screen the best of classic, independent and foreign-language films, including Marilyn Monroe: Self-Made Star throughout June. In July, BFI Southbank will also host Station to Station: Kazuo Ishiguro Top Ten Train Films, as The Nobel Prize winning author takes us on a journey through his favourite train set films.
Mark Evers, TfL’s lead on Customer Insight, Strategy and Experience, said: “For 40 years, Poems on the Underground has brought creativity into the heart of everyday journeys, giving millions of customers a moment to pause, reflect and connect with voices from around the world. This anniversary leaflet celebrates the remarkable range of voices we’ve shared with customers, while this summer’s selection continues that tradition with poetry that resonates across cultures and generations.”
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries said: “Happy 40th birthday Poems on the Underground! Loved by Londoners and visitors alike, they have transformed our journeys with inspiring poetry, taking culture to every corner of our city. This special 40th anniversary collection is full of our most loved poems and it’s a great way to celebrate this milestone.”
Judith Chernaik, Founder of Poems on the Underground, said: “It’s wonderful to know that poetry has found a home on London’s great transport system, thanks to the continued support of TfL, the Arts Council. the British Council, and, above all, the enthusiasm of London’s daily commuters.”
As part of Poems on the Underground 40th anniversary celebrations, Poems on the Underground will be a poetry reading event at Keats Community Library on Thursday 4 June at 19.30, with guest poet Nick Makota and the Apollo Quartet.
Customers will be able to find the new summer poems displayed in Tube and rail carriages across the network from 1 June. The 40th anniversary leaflet will be available at selected London Underground stations while stocks last.
