Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has penned a new poem, The Drift, commissioned by London’s new riverside Chelsea Waterfront development.
Inspired by the movement of the River Thames and the developments newly rejuvenated waterside creek, The Drift is Armitage’s first work created for a development – a reflection of Chelsea Waterfront’s dedication to art, beauty, and tranquillity in urban design.
Designed by internationally renowned architect Sir Terry Farrell, the 4.58-hectare site includes the historic former Lots Road Power Station – one of Chelsea’s most well-known and best-loved landmarks.
It is the first development of its kind on the north bank of the Thames, comprised of ten buildings. Spread across 600 meters of unique waterfront living, Chelsea Waterfront includes two stand-out towers on either side of Chelsea Creek that are united by a new footbridge – now home to Simon’s poem.
Armitage’s poem captures the river’s resilience and flow, evoking the journey of water as it weaves through canals, weirs, and locks before reuniting in the river and open sea.
As Armitage explains, “The Drift is about water, the essential element of our planet, and I was thinking about the way we live next to, in and amongst it. And it’s also a poem about my favourite piece of architecture – the bridge – where the solidity of the land meets the fluidity of the river.”
An excerpt from The Drift reads: “The way divided water gathers together and mends – we can take something from that.”
These lines, and others from the poem, have been elegantly embossed into Chelsea’s newest bridge, inviting residents, visitors, and passersby to experience Armitage’s words in situ.
A new QR code on the bridge provides access to a short film where Armitage recites The Drift, encouraging those crossing it to pause and reflect. “When people scan the QR code and listen to the poem, it’s an invitation to think about where you are, to enjoy the words and let your mind drift,” he added.
The new bridge, fabricated in Amsterdam and delivered by canal boat, marks the reopening of a riverside passageway that has been closed for over 100 years.
Linking Fulham and Hammersmith to Kensington and Chelsea, the bridge sees Armitage’s poem embossed onto it, adding a lasting cultural touchstone to Chelsea, blending art with architecture and offering a gift of words to the Chelsea community and visitors.
“The idea that the poem will last because it is fabricated into the bridge is really exciting,” Armitage expressed. “And to think that the lifespan of the poem will be the lifespan of the bridge.”
Simon Armitage is celebrated for his exploration of place, identity, and the power of connection, bringing poetry into public spaces and capturing the essence of contemporary Britain. His first commissioned poem for a development speaks to the influence of the project’s design on London’s evolving landscape.
“The power of this place – the old power station with the power of the river, and yet you have this incredible tranquillity as well, with the water rolling past,” Armitage observed, encapsulating the unique harmony of Chelsea Waterfront’s setting.
The collaboration is a testament to Chelsea Waterfront’s commitment to enriching the riverside experience, bringing art, culture, and a sense of place to Chelsea’s residents and the greater London community.
The Drift, by Simon Armitage
The way divided water gathers together and mends – we can take something from that.
How tangled threads of rills and runnels unknot in the river, how strict detachments of channels and sluices eventually loosen into a single flow. Stalled by canal locks, partitioned as basins and docks, tamed water vanishes into the air, then – abracadabra – it’s somewhere else.
The egret stamps its foot through the glazed calm but the ripples heal; sliced by turbines then shredded by weirs the current comes out in one piece, rolls on downstream shipping the sky to the sea.
And all bridges rise to applaud and salute.
About Simon Armitage
Simon Armitage was born in West Yorkshire and is a Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds. He has received numerous prizes and awards, has published over twenty poetry collections, writes extensively for television and radio, and is the author of two novels and three bestselling non-fiction books.
His theatre works include The Last Days of Troy, which was performed at the Shakespeare’s Globe in London. From 2015 to 2019, he served as Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford, and in 2018, he was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. Simon Armitage is the UK Poet Laureate.