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Transit Poems

The annual Transit Poems contest places poems inside public transportation. Sign up for our email magazine for notification when the contest opens in March 2027. Free downloads of each year's submissions anthology appear below, along with the collection of winning poems' signs for each year's contest. Also below is a brief history of the program and links to the partners and sponsors who have made the Bus Poems project possible.

Before you download, would you consider the difference you could make to keep this program alive? Even $1 of support goes a long way toward keeping the Transit Poems on the road.

2026

With a dramatic uptick in 2026 submissions, more than 75 poets from across the world submitted up to three poems each of 26 words. Read the anthology of submissions here. Kenosha Poet Laureate Nico "Speak Free" Moore, and Racine County co-Poets Laureate Dr. Thomas Carr and Mary Skillings, served as judges, ultimately selecting from the field of 177 submissions just 34, to each appear on its own bus sign, with all 34 appearing on at least one of nine paratransit vehicles. The collection of Bus Signs, available here, was designed by Nicholas Michael Ravnikar.

2025

The 2025 edition of Bus Poems saw 80+ submissions from 20+ authors. Download the PDF file of the anthology of all submissions for the 2024-2025 contest, and view the signs installed on city buses, which were selected by local English writing professors, Anna Stotts, Dean Karpowicz and Rick Meier, and designed by Amanda Conner (nee Gastraa).

Make poetry an everyday affair. Keep Transit Poems running.

Poetry advocates like you are the only reason we're able to keep the Transit Poems program going. Your generosity and fierce support of poetry's importance in everyday life can increase contributor payments, expand the Transit Poems program to other regional transportation systems, provide print copies of the anthology to all contributors, and provide honoraria to our judges for their time.

Each year's contest currently costs $1,000 to produce, with volunteer program management, judges and graphic design. Your generosity would enable us to provide more support to this program and ensure its sustainability.

About the Program

In 2025 and 2026, under the title "Bus Poems," the project installed poems on all of the vehicles in the City of Racine's public transit fleet at no direct cost to the city and hosted release party open mic events at the historic Corinne Reid Owens Transit Center.

The free event runs from 5:30-8pm on the last Friday in May, with the open mic sign-up list out at 5:30 and readings beginning at 6pm. Light refreshments are served, we take a brief intermission around 7pm, and guests are welcome to bring a dish to share or to bring food for themselves.

One to two featured acts will perform for 10 minutes each, and open mic slot length will depend on the number of acts who sign up. Alcohol is not permitted.

Check our Facebook page for updates and please like and follow our page for ongoing updates! If you are interested in helping us expand Transit Poems to your city, inquire by email at poetrymovementworkshops@gmail.com.

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.