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
sex regret deathbed
On out deathbeds we're not going to regret all the work we didn't do. We're going to regret all the sex we didn't have!
sunset eye mind
What the Londoner sees in his mind’s eye is that cluster of towers and pinnacles seen from Pentonville Hill and outlined against a foggy sunset, and the great arc of Barlow’s train shed gaping to devour incoming engines, and the sudden burst of exuberant Gothic of the hotel seen from gloomy Judd Street…
horse silly naughty
Oh Wasn't it naughty of Smudges? Oh, Mummy, I'm sick with disgust. She threww me in front of the judges, And my silly old collar-bone's bust.
surprise mark verses
One mark of good verse is surprise
hymns people
Hymns are the poetry of the people.
whispering reeds sound
A whispering and watery Norfolk sound Telling of all the moonlit reeds around.
happiness laughter giving
Now if the harvest is over, And the world cold, Give me the bonus of laughter, As I lose hold.
history sides given
History must not be written with bias, and both sides must be given, even if there is only one side.
majesty delight norfolk
I am still reeling with delight at the soaring majesty of Norfolk.
rewards crowns lord
Lord, reserve for me a crown, And do not let my shares go down.
approval belief vow
Approval of what is approved of Is as false as a well-kept vow.
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.
hymns tunes folks
Hymn tunes are the nearest we've got to English folk music..
english-poet faces full port
Silver and ermine and red faces full of port wine.