Poem for Display in a City Bus

Posted by Dave Bonta on May 21, 2008 (last modified at 8:59 am, 5/22/08)
This entry is part 1 of 15 in the series Public Poems

A reckless poem crushed between ads —
there’s nothing to see here, folks.
Keep moving.

__________

I’m not done writing tool odes, yet, don’t worry! I just got this other idea for what will probably be a shorter series — poems to be placed in public spaces, written with an awareness of their contexts. I’d welcome suggestions of other locations for these poems.

For examples of actual public poems, see the archives of NYC’s Poetry in Motion project, the Pennsylvania Center for the Book’s Public Poetry Project, and especially the CityPoem World Index at the New Urbanist website ErasmusPC.


Series NavigationPoem for Display in a Subway Car»
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7 Responses to Poem for Display in a City Bus

  1. Black_Pete says:
    May 23, 2008 at 6:57 am

    I quite like these short bits, Dave. Go where the muse takes you.

    Reply
  2. Bill says:
    May 23, 2008 at 7:17 am

    This is pretty gory, so don’t look, but there is an affinity: it is in the category of paper accidents.

    Reply
  3. Dave says:
    May 23, 2008 at 7:43 am

    Pete – Thanks!

    Bill – Whoa. Gives “paper cut” a whole new meaning, doesn’t it?

    Reply
  4. dale says:
    May 23, 2008 at 3:54 pm

    :->

    Reply
  5. ...deb says:
    May 27, 2008 at 9:12 pm

    I quite like the idea, and the links. Portland has Poetry in Motion, on our buses (taken after a Milwaukee project, I believe) and a Poetry Bridge walk series, which I have failed to participate in. But those are impermanent…paper in the bus and virtual on the walk…

    These, written in space, are another thing altogether.

    Who said “poets are traiters”, first, or recognizably…don’t take it wrong :-) , you know what I am so poorly trying to say.

    I think the library poem would be lovely inscribed in glass or metal or wood at the check-out queue or building entrance…

    Reply
  6. Dave says:
    May 28, 2008 at 8:51 am

    deb, thanks. I don’t know who originally said that about poets being traitors, if anyone. I had the impression I was paraphrasing something, but maybe not.

    I actually have very mixed feelings about the official placement of poems. I’d be far less queasy with my words spray-pained somewhere than with the kind of permanent inscription you describe. Thanks for the kind thought, though.

    Reply
  7. Adult Ühler says:
    May 28, 2008 at 4:34 pm

    Nice idea you have for a blog here.

    Reply

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