Poems on the rails as of 16 August
The traditional Poems on the Rails event takes place again in
August. Poems are displayed on trams and at Metro station as of
Thursday 16 August. The event is organized for the eight time.
This year the theme of the poems is the relationship between
language and image.
A poetry day is celebrated on Culture Tram on Thursday 16 August
when poetry choir Ulos performs on the tram 4pm - 5pm.
The Culture Tram (tram route 5) leaves from the Opera tram stop
and runs along its own route from Töölön halli to Ensi Linja in
Kallio via Kamppi and Rautantientori. You can board the tram at any
stop along the route.
HKL’s tram drivers will distribute postcards with poems
passengers on Thursday 16 August. A total of 15,000 postcards will
be distributed.
Over 20 poets participating
The Poems on the Rails campaign is organized by HSL, Nuoren
Voiman Liitto, Helsinki City Library, Korjaamo Culture Factory and
Helsinki City Transport.
The biggest thanks must go to the poets, who contribute their
poems to the event to brighten up passengers' journeys. This year
the following poets participate in the event: Juhani Ahvenjärvi,
Kristian Blomberg, Eeva Heilala, Lassi Hyvärinen, Jukka Itkonen,
Irina Javne, Karri Kokko, Kirsi Kunnas, Markus Leikola, Satu
Manninen, Rauni Anita Martikainen, Marko Niemi, Anni Riipinen, Aki
Salmela, Ritva Ruuska-Tuominen, Sanna Tahvanainen, Miia Toivio,
Jouni Tossavainen, Olli-Pekka Tennilä, Sirkka Turkka, Sami Vainikka
and Gösta Ågren.
The Poems on the Rails is modeled after Poems on the
Underground, which was first organized in London in 1986.