Photo by Eric.

People on buses with their headphones in
Are swiping their phones in the transit din
Tunnel vision keeps eyes glued to travelers’ laps
Or otherwise shut for some well-deserved naps

But Arlington Arts wants to gussy up buses
With residents’ words creating some fusses
So a competition they launched seeking poetry
Instead of advertising, winners’ works you’ll see

Meet Moving Words, now ringing in its tenth year
A competition that aims to bring Arlington Transit commuters cheer
This year’s judge is poet Francisco Aragón
And DCist spoke to him over the phone

As a boy in San Fran he saw poetry in public spaces
“I was distinctly intrigued,” he says of the words’ embraces
Now he wants to find poems that “offer a mental oasis”
As well as accessibility, rich imagery, and other literary graces

He hopes submissions will “reflect the diversity of experience” ’round these parts
“So people can see themselves” in the poems posted by Arlington Arts
“I will put myself in the shoes of those commuters,”
So they engage with the space instead of their pocket computers

And what about those who think poetry is weird?
That the jumble of words is something to be feared?
“People get intimidated when they think about poetry as a riddle to be solved,”
Says Aragón, who doesn’t view the art form that way at all

“Think about it as listening to your favorite song,”
When you’re less worried about whether your interpretation is wrong
“Read it out loud and see what the body experiences,”
And don’t get weighed down by the genre’s alleged seriousness

So put your pen to the page or your fingers to the keys
You can submit three poems without entry fees
The deadline is January 11, for ten lines or less
Get writing, get going—it’s time for literary success

You can learn more about the Moving Words contest here and read previous winners.