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Sir John Betjeman was an enthusiast and his poetry turns up
in many guises. At Christmas we often read his poem:
Christmas
The bells of waiting Advent
ring,
The Tortoise stove is lit again
And lamp-oil light across the night
Has caught the streaks of winter rain
In many a stained-glass window sheen
From Crimson Lake to Hooker's Green.The
holly in the windy hedge
And round the Manor House the yew
Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge,
The altar, font and arch and pew,
So that the villagers can say
"The church looks nice" on Christmas Day.
Provincial public houses blaze
And Corporation tramcars clang,
On lighted tenements I gaze
Where paper decorations hang,
And bunting in the red Town Hall
Says " Merry Christmas to you all."
And London shops on Christmas Eve
Are strung with silver bells and flowers
As hurrying clerks the City leave
To pigeon-haunted classic towers,
And marbled clouds go scudding by
The many-steepled London sky. |
And girls in slacks remember
Dad,
And oafish louts remember Mum,
And sleepless children's hearts are glad,
And Christmas-morning bells say "Come!"
Even to shining ones who dwell
Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.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?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me?
And is it true? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant,
No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was Man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine. |
Publications:
Continual Dew (illustrations by Osbert Lancaster, de Cronin Hastings & E McKnight
Kauffer) published by John Murray (first published 1937
First and Last Loves (illustrations by John Piper, Gilbert Scott, C R Mackintosh etc.)
published by John Murray 1952
John Betjeman's Collected Poems published by John Murray 1958
Summoned by Bells published by John Murray 1960 ISBN 0 7195 3350 3
Archie & the Strict Baptists (illustrated by Phillida Gili)published by John Murray
1977 ISBN 0 7195 3429 1
Betjeman Country by Frank Delaney published by John Murray 1983 ISBN 0 7195 4086 0
Betjeman's Cornwall published by John Murray 1984 ISBN 0 7195 4106 9
Betjeman's London edited by Pennie Denton published by John Murray 1988 ISBN 0 7195 4494 7
In Praise of Churches (illustrated by Paul Hogarth) published by John Murray 1996 ISBN 0
7195 5554 X
Biography:
John Betjeman - Young Betjeman by Bevis Hiller ISBN 0-7195-6488-3 John Murray 1988
John Betjeman - New Fame, New Love by Bevis Hiller ISBN 0-7195-5002-5 John Murray
2002
John Betjeman - The Bonus of Laughter by Bevis Hiller ISBN 0-7195-6495-6 John Murray
2004
Betjeman appears
on the WEB:
Cornish Cliffs
Death in Leamington
Betjeman has made several records
of his verse to Jim Parker's music - well worth owning:
Betjeman's Banana Blush CAS 1086,
Late Flowering Love CAS 1096,
Varsity Rag CAS 1154
Sir John Betjeman's Britain CHC28).
Between 1962 and 1964 he made twelve films
about the West Country that he loved so much. They include Weston-Super-Mare, Bath,
Malmesbury, Marlborough, Bristol, Clevedon, Swindon, Chippenham, Crewkerne, Devizes,
Sherborne & Sidmouth - were on video VA 30699.
"Metroland" was on BBC video 4127 examines the impact of suburbia during the
1920s and 1930s. His work captures England between the wars and the old values that have
been forced out by the pace of life as we move into the new century.
DVD "About with Betjeman" -
Betjeman's Britain & Betjeman's London - GUDVD0022.
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