Philip Larkin's poetry aboard East Yorkshire buses

Philip Larkin was a librarian at Hull University

Passengers travelling on buses across East Yorkshire can now go on a poetic journey.

It's National Poetry Day,
When it's OK to break into verse and have your say.
Even buses in Hull are getting in on the act,
They'll be showing off poems by Larkin and that is a fact.
So if you're missing out on culture no need to be vexed,
Just stick out your hand and hop on the 5X.

If the above poem by BBC Humberside leaves little inspiration to the lyrically challenged then it may be better hopping on board an East Yorkshire bus.

As part of the activities to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of poet Philip Larkin, around 40 buses will be displaying extracts of some of his work including Toads Revisited, Days, This Is the First Thing, Solar, New Eyes Each Year, This Be The Verse and Blues Shouter.

"They're fantastic excerpts. They are all very varied and they just bring something to people's thoughts for the day maybe just inspire a little bit of creativity," explained Jessica Leathley, a senior librarian and organiser of the Larkin Poetry on the Buses initiative.

Giant fibreglass toads were part of the Larkin celebrations

"I hope it's going to be really welcomed. It's unusual; it's new for us here in Hull. So fingers crossed people will enjoy what they're reading and that's what it's all about."

Peter Shipp, the chief executive of East Yorkshire Motor Services explained: "We have supported Larkin25 celebration through a number of activities this year - even naming one of our buses Philip Larkin.

"I am delighted to have been able to offer this innovative way of bringing Larkin's poetry to people travelling in Hull and the East Riding on board one of the 40 buses taking part."

Launching on National Poetry Day, the project mirrors other Poetry on the Buses initiatives in England, Scotland and Guernsey, as well as the successful Poems on the Underground in London.

"I think [Philip Larkin] would have approved of it," said Professor Graham Chesters of the Larkin 25 project.

"He was very wary about Poems on the Underground but he ended up voting the money through and supporting it and indeed some of his own poems have been on the underground.

"He wanted poetry to be accessible and simple, so I think he would've had no problem with it."

The Poetry on the Buses project will run until December 2010, when the Larkin25 season of programmes concludes with the unveiling of the Philip Larkin statue in Hull's Paragon Interchange station.