Sir John Betjeman (1906-1984)

One of the most popular English language poets of the twentieth century. His collected poems sold over two million copies.

One of the nastier assumptions about modern poetry is that it’s not possible to be popular and good. Great poets have five readers and an academic following. Popular poets have either no talent or have prostituted themselves to find an audience. As an assumption it’s both nasty and dangerous.

Betjeman was popular and good. Some of his poems, like this one, seemed to be set in a world that wasn’t on the same planet as mine. His excellence is technical. No modernist pyrotechnics, just a deft handling of the formal aspects of rhyming verse.

His autobiography, ‘Summoned by Bells’ written in blank verse, is one of the better long poems of the century.

The first line of this poem has been been stuck in my head since I first read it decades ago.