SATURDAY shoppers were taken unaware by a group of people sharing poetry at the Sturt Mall. The poetry was to celebrate the launch of Wagga City Council's Bus Stop Poetry competition which has given eight poets the chance to have an original piece published and shared with the city. Run in conjunction with the Booranga Writers' Centre, a challenge was put to local writers to construct a poem about Wagga. The poems were themed on The Leader's thumbs up/thumbs down column, hairy panic and the Wollundry Lagoon respectively.Wagga City Council cultural officer Vic McEwan said the Sturt Mall was selected to allow Saturday shoppers to engage in the poetry readings as they passed in the hopes the words would "linger in the minds of shoppers and their families, offering a moment to consider our city in a way perhaps they haven't taken the time to before."Due to the overwhelming response from the community, Mr McEwan said council is hoping to make the competition an annual event.