| Get on the Bus |
| Written by David Hage | ||||||
 William Wordsworth’s My Heart Leaps Up might not be what you would typically expect to read on the walls of the bus on your ride home from work. It is, however, among the list of noteworthy poems included in Wilkes University’s Poetry In Transit campaign, which offers a pleasant visual alternative to reading business ads alone.Dr. Mischelle Anthony, assistant professor of English at Wilkes University, conceptualized this project during one of her daily bus rides on the Number 6 from Luzerne to Wilkes-Barre. “I heard people talking about ads and thought to myself, ‘wouldn’t it be great to talk about a poem instead,’” she said. Anthony battled with the typical reservations we all encounter when venturing to start something new. “Someone will do it some day,” she thought. “I’m not sure it would be something I could do.” Anthony ultimately decided to take a chance and do something about her idea. She first approached the Joint Urban Studies Center at Wilkes and then sought the guidance of Christine Seitzinger, the university’s associate director of Marketing Communications, with whom she shared her vision of poems on buses. Seitzinger was a very supportive ally who quickly developed a practical strategy to make her idea become a reality. Together they set out to bring the community together, both on campus and off. Energized by the alliance they had formed, they met with Stanley Strelish, executive director of the Luzerne County Transit Authority (LCTA) and Jim Gattuso of Lamar Advertising. Skeptics might wonder why the LCTA and Lamar would just give away advertising space. Would they just fill empty ad space and then shortly thereafter take the poetry down and replace it with a large, sterile, corporate campaign? This was certainly not the case. Anthony excitedly explained that LCTA and Lamar were very supportive from the beginning and continue to support the project, and that the poetry placards would remain in place indefinitely. Anthony told me how Gattuso coordinated discounting the production of the 11”x 36” panels. “Anybody running a public transportation system has to have some sense of the public, not just for safety, but also for the quality of life,” added Strelish. Both Strelish and Anthony have received numerous compliments from members of the public for their work with Poetry In Transit. They have also received suggestions for poems to include on future placards and even poems from riders themselves. Mark Golaszewski, assistant director of Creative Services at Wilkes, designed the beautifully put-together panels. The panels were originally going to be designed by Lamar, but after Golaszewski drafted some initial proofs, Anthony and Seitzinger were impressed with what they saw and asked if he would like to design all of the placards. He gladly did so. “In the end, I was very proud of the results and applaud Mischelle for undertaking such a project,” said Golaszewski. Poetry In Transit has won two awards for both graphic design and photography from the International Association of Business Communications. When you look at an issue in the larger context it can become overwhelming, but when you break it down into small measurable tasks, it becomes achievable. Anthony understands this concept well. For her commitment to the arts, for her commitment to our local community, and for her commitment to Wilkes University and the students she teaches, she should be commended. Poetry involves communicating an idea; one of the underlying ideas behind Poetry In Transit is that poetry is the art of living. If you wish your days to be filled with the magic of poetry, take a bus ride. Bookmark with:
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