On Friday, 30th January, Transport for London (TfL) is holding a special event at Bank underground station to celebrate 40 years of ‘Poems on the Underground’.

Since poems were first displayed on the underground in 1986, world-class poetry has become a familiar sight, helping to transform passengers’ journeys into moments of reflection and connection.

The event is one of a series of special events, and among those invited are London Poets who have taken part in the scheme. There will also be poetry readings by TfL staff poets and other poetry lovers.

A new collection of Poems on the Underground will appear on Monday, 9th February, and will include Syzygy by Rachel Boast, A Short Piece of Choral Music by Jonathan Davidson, and Narcissus by Blake Morrison. There will also be verses by Romanian poet Mircea Dinescu and American poet Jane Hirshfield, as well as a haiku by Kobayashi Issa with original calligraphy by Yukki Yaura. In addition to being displayed on the underground, these pieces and some of the first 100 poems will also be on display at Aldgate East, Heathrow, Seven Sisters, St. John’s Wood, and Westminster stations.

To mark the 40th anniversary, a special edition of 100 Poems on the Underground has been issued and can be purchased from the London Transport Museum shop and online, as well as from several retailers. Included in the special edition are poems displayed during the first five years of Poems on the Underground, and new poems by Sappho and Jean Binta Breeze.

A free leaflet, 40 poems for 40 years of Poems on the Underground will be available later this year at London Underground stations. The original poster form of all poems that have appeared on the Tube network since 1986 can be viewed online here.

Last October, Transport for London published a series of Poems on the Underground with an autumnal theme, and they were displayed for four weeks on underground and overground services.

”For the past 40 years, ‘Poems on the Underground’ have given us moments of reflection, joy, solace, and so much more as we make our way through the hustle and bustle of the Tube. Much loved by Londoners as part of the familiar furniture of our city, they are incredibly popular with visitors too. Art and culture are for everyone, and ‘Poems on the Underground’ bring creative inspiration to millions every day, helping us build a better London for everyone.”

Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries