Whatcom Transit Authority partners with the Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest to display Merit Award winning poems each year. WTA buses feature placards of selected poems on the inside of each bus; currently some buses have 2-3 placards — a feast of poems!
Currently, my favorite WTA bus is #628, occasionally used for the 401 route to and from Fairhaven. The #628 contains three placards:
“To a Slug in Winter” by Paul S. Piper, a 2010 Merit Award winner. Paul S. Piper is a writer and educator. Read his poem here.
The link provides an example of the placards inside the buses. The placards are designed and created by Anita K. Boyle of Egress Studio Press. Visit Anita K. Boyle’s website here. Anita is a very talented artist and poet, too.
“The Trees” by McKeahan Carlton, a 2011 Merit Award winner and 4th Grader at the time. Read “The Trees” here.
And, “Grace”–my favorite poem from this group–by some guy named Andrew Shattuck McBride, a 2012 Merit Award winner. Read “Grace” here.
The above links to poems are to posts on the Sue Boynton Poetry Contest blog. On the blog you can find Contest Merit Award-winning poems and Winning poems. (Winning poems are displayed on the Poetry Walk in front of the Bellingham Public Library, main branch.)
The Sue Boynton Poetry Contest blog also features — in addition to poems — news of literary gatherings and readings, workshops, poetry prompts, and information about poetry walks around the world. Finally, it features dozens of links, including to Whatcom County and regional poets, literary organizations, and literary journals. The blog is a great resource for all poets and writers, in Bellingham and Whatcom County and everywhere.
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See you on one of the WTA buses!
Andrew Shattuck McBride, Writer's Blog 
Hooray–the poems are on the move! Any idea which bus “Grace” is in?
Jennifer!
The placard with “Grace” is also on the WTA #628 bus!
Yes, I was riding the bus with *my poem*! It was awesome.
All the best, Andy
How very cool! Congratulations again!
Thank you very much!
This is so wonderful and exciting. I will have to watch for the bus. That must be such a sweet feeling to ride on the bus displaying your poem. I love how you so humbly and proudly “brag-not-brag”; just beautiful. Are there any pics of you standing with the bus? If not, we must make it so!
Thank you Tsena.
Yes, I “brag-not-brag” about having my poem *in* a WTA bus. It’s a great feeling; I refrained from standing up and saying “Hey, everybody–this is my poem!”
Well, the photo would have to be of me inside the bus.
All the best, Andy
P.S. Hey, you should plan on submitting a poem to the next Sue Boynton Poetry Contest.
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