Bring Back the Poetry
March 18, 2017 at 3:20 pm 7 comments
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Photo Credit: Bart.Gov
There was a time when BART, the San Francisco Bay Area Transit System, offered poetry to its passengers. Below is a poem from an unknown author featured back in those days:
like a child
who tore a twig
and planted it
in a dixie cup full of dirt
no seeds, no roots, no hole for draining
because he could not bear to wait —
each time i am foolishly surprised
it withers without blooming
In one of her letters, Emily Dickinson said, “If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” This little gem most definitely fits the bill.
Sometimes, simple is simply the best. Written using ordinary words, it’s a poem that engages us. It reinforces the idea that full commitment is necessary to achieve the desired end. Anything less than that can lead to disappointment. If somebody knows the identify of the poet, please let me know so he or she can get the proper credit.
It was cool for BART to promote a bit of culture and literary experience in the past. I don’t know what stopped the transit authorities from doing it, but I do hope it wasn’t for lack of public interest. Should they bring it back, it’ll be a welcome diversion from the usual advertisements and notices displayed on its cars.
Entry filed under: Blogroll, daily prompt. Tags: bart, commentary, poetry.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Atop Wordless Wednesday: Jonsok (Kati Casida, 2011)
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1.
handmadejewelryhaven | March 18, 2017 at 5:02 pm
I believe you found the reason that it stopped.
Advertisers pay. Poetry does not.
– Lisa
2.
plaridel | March 19, 2017 at 1:57 pm
lisa:
that’s so true. somehow there must be a way to find a balance between art and making money.
3.
yuhublogger | March 23, 2017 at 8:37 am
This was such a nice initiative. Too bad they stopped it though. Would’ve been fun to listen to some poetry during the commute.
4.
plaridel | March 23, 2017 at 2:40 pm
yuhu:
i guess it will come back if there’s enough outcry.
5.
yuhublogger | March 23, 2017 at 9:53 pm
True!
6.
Train Today to Reap Tomorrow | March 24, 2017 at 8:13 pm
Love the title and simple ask…bring back the creativity aka poetry!!
7.
plaridel | March 26, 2017 at 2:45 pm
sunil:
thank you.