Poems on the Buses: 15-year-old wins Museum of London, TfL and BBC poetry competition

A 15-year-old poet from Tower Hamlets has won a competition to compose verse to be displayed at London bus stops - after being inspired by journeys across the capital.

Winner Zaynab wrote the poem ‘A Slideshow of London’ which has been selected by the Museum of London, Transport for London (TfL) and the BBC as the winner of the My London Story: Poems on the Buses poetry competition.

The 19-line poem begins: “I tap then beep. She taps then beeps. He does a tap then beeps. Like a rhythm we’ve all memorised. Ultramarine Blue, Blinding Red and Friendly Yellow smirk as I run, leap to the backseat.

“Twisting the Friendly Yellow poles, before the bus driver competes in the Grand Prix. The scratched, smeared windows - my lenses - to see a slideshow of London.”

To mark National Poetry Day, on October 6, Zaynab’s work will be displayed this autumn at the London bus stops and TfL sites between Mile End and Paddington that inspired her.

It will also be added to the Museum of London’s collection, alongside archaeological finds and pieces from London’s rich cultural past, and feature in the My London Story zine.

Part of a project to celebrate 100 years of the BBC and London’s youth, the contest was funded by Arts Council England, and judged by poet Raymond Antrobus, and Young People’s Laureate for London Cecilia Knapp.

Poet Laureate Cecilia said: ”It was such a joy to judge this competition. Reading about the bus journeys of young Londoners was more than that, it was reading about their lives.

“That’s what I love about poetry; it’s a window showing us all the different and magical parts of the world.

“It’s so important young people feel entitled to occupy the exciting space of poetry. It gives us an opportunity to see through their true lens, in their own voices, on their own terms.”

The Musuem and the BBC also collaborated on a schools project, working with 10 schools across the capital on workshops on children’s unique identities, aiming to record the video testimonies of 12-14-year-olds as part of building the museum’s future oral history collection.

Robert Seatter, from the BBC, said: “Broadcasting is about voices. We were delighted to partner with Museum of London and capture fresh and inspiring words of young Londoners.”

Louise Cheeseman, TfL buses director, added: “Buses are much more than just a way of getting from A to B, as shown by the incredible entries to this competition. We hope customers will enjoy reading Zaynab’s poem on their own bus journeys.”

She added: “TfL has a long history of poetry, with Poems on the Underground celebrating its 35th anniversary.”

And Lauren Parker, from the Museum of London, said: “The Museum of London tells the stories of all Londoners - including London’s children and young people.

“We are delighted that these voices will be part of our collections now and into the future.”