It was on a visit to the city British Library that I came upon on a wonderful anthology called Poems on the Underground. That was when I chanced upon a particular Adrian Mitchell poem, among many other beautiful, varied reads. Poems on the Underground is pretty much a poetry-lover’s collector’s item.
The London Metro train service is popularly and officially known as the ‘Underground’. In 1986, the Underground people started a unique program that continues to this date. In over 3000 advertising spaces across train passenger cars, poems of every kind are put up and replaced three times a year.
The following poem is but meager proof of the poet Mitchell (1932-2008) was. The British poet opposed war, racism and prisons vehemently in his works. The lines need no literal explanation, as you will see. A factual tit bit though – High Holborn is a road in central London.
Celia Celia
by Adrian Mitchell
When I am sad and weary
When I think all hope has gone
When I walk along High Holborn
I think of you with nothing on.
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(Article by Snehith Kumbla)