John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBEwas an English poet, writer, and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack". He was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1972 until his death...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth28 August 1906
missing strange granted
It's strange that those we miss the most Are those we take for granted.
country jewels missing
Norfolk would not be Norfolk without a church tower on the horizon or round a corner up a lane. We cannot spare a single Norfolk church. When a church has been pulled down the country seems empty or is like a necklace with a jewel missing.
cook phone
Phone for the fish-knives, Norman, / As Cook is a little unnerved; / You kiddies have crumpled the serviettes / And I must have things daintily served.
hunter miss
Miss J. Hunter Dunn, Miss J. Hunter Dunn,/ Furnish'd and burnish'd by Aldershot sun.
adore full girl great sports strength
Pam, I adore you, Pam, you great big mountainous sports girl / Whizzing them over the net, full of the strength of five.
bear norfolk spirits
Spirits of well-shot woodcock, partridge, snipe / Flutter and bear him up the Norfolk sky.
dying earth fun ill terrified
But I'm dying now and done for, / What on earth was all the fun for? / For I'm old and ill and terrified and tight.
english-poet faces full port
Silver and ermine and red faces full of port wine.
ask sufficient trifle
I know what I wanted to ask you;/ Is trifle sufficient for sweet?
gas
The gas was on in the Institute, / The flare was up in the gym.
baby seen tale tremendous
And is it true? And is it true, / This most tremendous tale of all, / Seen in a stained-glass window's hue, / A Baby in an ox's stall?
left
The Church's Restoration / In eighteen-eighty-three / Has left for contemplation / Not what there used to be.
rivers house church
Ludlow....is probably the loveliest town in England with its hill of Georgian houses ascending from the river Teme to the great tower of the cross-shaped church, rising behind a classic market building.
whispering reeds sound
A whispering and watery Norfolk sound Telling of all the moonlit reeds around.