The tube is not a place normally associated with love. But we at Tube Talk would argue it is a place for love poetry.
You may ask - how can love bloom when we can't even look each other in the eye?
When we move our hands away from each other on the poles at the slightest touch?
When the central line gets so hot in the summer that we all snap at each other – without mercy - ‘move down please!’
I’d recommend listening to our interview with love guru Elizabeth Sullivan to find out more about dating options on the tube.
Love Poems on the Underground
Anyway, let's go back to love poetry.
Poems on the Underground was launched in 1986, following an idea from the American writer Judith Chernalk, to bring poetry to a wider audience.
The programme helps to make journeys more stimulating and inspiring by showcasing a range of poetry in Tube train carriages across London. The poems are selected by Judith Chernaik and poets George Szirtes and Imtiaz Dharker.
On 25 February 2019, a new set of Love Poems on the Underground – part of the Poems on the Underground new set – went up for four weeks. The poems were specifically selected to brighten the winter darkness.
These poets celebrate love in all its variety and are selected from a range of time periods.
The poems are:
John Anderson, my jo, by Robert Burns Meeting at Night, by Robert Browning Wild Nights! by Emily Dickinson Hops, by Boris Pasternak, translated from Russian by Jon Stallworthy and Peter France The Present, by Michael Donaghy India, by Jane Draycott
Here at Tube Talk, we love the idea of Love Poems on the Underground so much that we did a feature on them on our podcast – Soppy Talk. We read out one of our favourites ‘Wild Nights!’ in the segment – as well a slightly racier 15th Century poem.
Tube Talk's interpretation
As a final treat, Tube Talk’s own fan of abandoned stations and love poetry – Yasmin - has had a go at writing a love poem based on the London Underground.
6.30am commute
On the Northern line,
Your eyes were a tonic for mine
Mine were fluttering, sleepy
In yours I saw everything I’d lost – coming back to me
On the Central line,
I wanted to be every page in your newspaper
You turned each one so carefully
I watched your fingertips as other strangers watched me
On the Piccadilly line,
The carriage screamed while I stood in silence
I did everything not to look at you
But I was pushed into your gaze
And you said ‘take my seat – I’m getting off at the next stop’
I never saw any of them again
by Yasmin
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