Bus Poems

By installing poetry that highlights mental health on public transportation, The Poetry Movement aims to build resilience and bring together community while giving greater attention to art and creative writing. Poems selected for installation on Buses in 2026 appear below!

2026 Contest Winners

The Poetry Movement proudly announces the final 34 poems selected to appear on RYDE Racine city buses for 2026. 

Many thanks to all 77 poets who submitted, and congratulations to those whose work was selected! Judges Dr. Thomas Carr, Nico Moore, and Mary Skillings undertook serious effort to narrow the field of 176 poems submitted to a final group of 34, with each poem appearing on its own bus. 

Winning poets are listed here with the pen name provided in the entry form. This is the name that will appear with your poem and biography. If you would prefer another name be listed, send a correction to poetrymovementworkshops@gmail.com no later than April 24. 

Solape Adetutu Adeyemi, DREAMS 

Gary Boelhower, NOW

Christina Carmona, BEGINNING AGAIN

Esteban Colon, FIGHT IN THE DOG

Charles Duke, MOVING ON

Rachel Desiree Felix, LAKE CORRIDOR

Brian Gleichauf, “When I was small”

Jennifer Gurney, POVERTY CONTAINED

~hag, LISTEN

Debra Hall, BUS STOP #2

R. Lincoln Harris, “Poe Street runs at an angle”

Keith Hoerner, TICKET TO PLAY

Jesica Huefner, RACINE

JMC , TRAVEL MATES

Britt Kaufmann, ROUTE 27 MANIFESTO

Rosie Klepper, RULES OF THE ROAD

Paula Kosin, RESCUE

MJ Lamb, FORWARD PROGRESS

Tricia Love, AWARE

Grigory Lukin, SEEK

Jay Mollerskov, BUS POEM

Nebjuku, WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE... (R.A.C.I.N.E)

Rachael Neu, THE RYDE

Elizabeth Niarchos Neukirch, LAKE MYTH

Dan Nielsen, 1958

Bil Orland, “I want to have a Kringle …”

René Parks, RED HOT

Rebecca Pelky, “We are here!”

Patricia Powers, “A winter lemon sun”

Piper Rasmussen, HAVE A HAPPY DAY

Heila Rogers, #14 TO THE MUSEUM

Belinda Subraman, RAIN

Kagen Aurencz Zethmayr, PASSENGER ADVISORY 

Jill C. Zgorzelski, WE GROW ANYWAY

All poems submitted will appear in the anthology of submissions, which is slated for release on May 29, 2026 at our release party. Please RSVP via the Facebook event to reserve a spot to perform!

View previously selected poems and bus signage here.

Meet Our Funders and Partners

The Bus Poems project, which includes a performance showcase at the Corinne Reid-Owens Transit Center, is made possible by a partnership with RYDE Racine, a division of the City of Racine's Transportation department. Bus Poems would not be possible without funding from the Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, the Racine Arts Council's ArtSeed grant and the Wisconsin Arts Board. Additional support is provided through the National Alliance for Mental Illness-Racine County, Family Power Music LLC, the Racine Literacy Council and ArtRoot. Please visit our supporters' and partners' websites below.