The MTA announced today it’s bringing back the beloved “Poetry in Motion” campaign, the hugely popular literary program that gave straphangers a welcome dose of poetry for 16 years.
The inaugural poem for the campaign’s relaunch — “Graduation” by Dorothea Tanning — has already been plastered in several subway cars throughout the system.
“He told us, with the years, you will come/to love the world/And we sat there with our souls in our laps/ and comforted them,” reads the poem, which will be printed on posters and hung in ad space at eye-level on subway cars.
Previously, the poems were in overhead ad space.
In addition, Tanning’s four-line poem will also be plastered on the back of three million MetroCards, randomly distributed to stations throughout the system.
Tanning — an accomplished artist who didn’t begin writing poetry until she was in her 80’s — died in January at her home in Manhattan at 101.
Officials chose her poem after reading through hundreds of other possibilities in part because of its theme.
“The timing seemed great for this poem as so many all over the city will be graduating from one place or another all through May and June when the poem is up,” said Alice Quinn, Executive Director of the Poetry Society of America, which is partnering with the MTA for the campaign.
The original “Poetry in Motion” ran from 1992 to 2008.
Despite its enormous appeal, the MTA replaced the program with “Train of Thought” posters, which broadcast thought-provoking quotes from famous figures.
Unlike “Poetry in Motion” — which was so popular it was copied in other cities — “Train of Thought” never caught on with riders and was phased out in 2010.
The latest incarnation of “Poetry in Motion” differs slightly from its predecessor.
In addition to a flowery new logo, all of the poems will now be featured with visual elements from the MTA’s collection of more than 230 pieces of art.
The Tanning poem was paired with images from “The Flora of Bensonhurst” by Joan Linder, a newly installed laminated glass piece that will be shown at the 71st Street Station on the D train.
It will be unveiled later in the year.
A total of eight “Poetry in Motion” posters will be displayed every year.
The next poem will be released in April.
“Everyone at the MTA is thrilled about this because our customers tell us again and again that even a small investment in art and music in the underground makes a huge difference to them,” said NYC Transit president Thomas Prendergast.