Transport for LondonPoems on the Underground
- View a random poem for the day
- Link here for our poetry archive
Poems on the Underground was launched in 1986. The programme was the brainchild of American writer Judith Chernaik, whose aim was to bring poetry to the wide ranging audience of passengers on the Underground. In 2000, more than 3.5 million journeys were made each day.
Judith Chernaik, together with poets Cicely Herbert and Gerard Benson, continue to select poems for inclusion in the programme.
London Underground sponsors the programme by donating the space, and helping with the cost of design and production. Sponsorship is also received from The British Council, London Arts, The Poetry Society and The Arts Council of England.
Special themes and projects have also been sponsored by the Commonwealth Institute and the British Tourist Authority.
New sets of poems generally appear three times each year and are displayed in advertising spaces within the trains.
Contemporary and historical poems are included as the programme aims to give a wide variety of choice and style. Works from established and emerging poets from around the world are used.
Readers who sample the poems on their way to work often want to read more.
The ninth edition of the book, "Poems on the Underground", has sold more than a quarter of a million copies since it was published in 1999. 2001 is the 15th anniversary of "Poems on the Underground", and sees the publication of a tenth edition of the book. It features more than 300 works displayed on the Tube since 1986.
The tenth edition of "Poems on the Underground" is available from London's Transport Museum shop, which also sells copies of the poem posters.
Users can access the archive of poems previously published on the site.
