For the 'conifer county of Surrey's' now skirted,
the 'avenue to the potting shed's'; traffic diverted
the 'black stockings legs' to comfort converted
and there still isn't grass enough to graze that cow!
And what of 'the hockey girls; their tennis or gym'
'the liberty lampshade that shone on them all?,
'Oh! Fuller's Angel cake' went to the wall
gone like the alcove; along with the hall
(as did the baths where they taught her to swim)
Oh dear! The flesh no longer needs to be subdued!
'The early light on Beaulieu water',
no longer shines just like it oughta,
'and Clemency; the generals daughter'
no longer 'tulip figured'; I must conclude.
The nightclub; whose cleaning just wasn't attempted
knocked down; the 'regency curtains' disappeared
a site for a 'Tescos' quickly cleared
the 'host of spiders'? Lost it's feared
and alas; the ashtray's still waiting to be emptied.
The 'ash tree' that up the sun and ivy rose
like the 'leathery limbs' the 'final entrance fee' paid
despite them both finally dying; fade
succumed the two; to a disease I'm afraid
'swarm over death'; I do suppose.
The bells of churches these days must adapt
'oh why must they make such a din!'
and 'shake the floor and smudge the ledgers' in time for a very large 'lime juice and gin'
and the 'blackened girders of Cricklewood'; now scrapped
'the polished oak desk; smashed' - seems apt
'Metro-Land' gone; the builders cash-strapped
and the bells; a noise abatement slapped!
Perhaps the 'friendly bombs did fall on Slough'
for the world that Betjeman knew
... is not that which we know now!
