The pen is mightier than the sword. That proverb was apparently created by a man who avoided execution by persuading his jailer to kill another prisoner, so he probably knew a thing or two about the strength of the written word.
And it's that power that Transport for London is hoping to harness for good as part of its Travel Better London campaign. Though we're not convinced what Ahiqar had in mind was amateur “etiquette poetry” as a way of cutting down on delays.
Yes, the latest wheeze from TfL is this competition. The winner will have their poem and a “cartoon version of themselves” (because poets are too ugly for photos?) splashed across the Tube and bus network throughout London as part of a special poster campaign to encourage commuters out of bad habits.
Possible topics have been set out. Budding bards can choose from the following:
Not dropping litter
Pulling the passenger alarm unnecessarily
Allowing others off the bus and train first
Moving down inside the carriage
Not holding doors open
Ensuring priority seats are offered to those who need them
Not playing loud music
A special tumblr page has been set up for passengers-turned-poets to submit their entries “saying how small changes can improve journeys”. A panel including the young poet laureate for London, Aisling Fahey, will select the most original entry.
Artist McBess will create a new cartoon to go with the poem, featuring the winning writer in the drawing.