Top John Betjeman Quotes - Quotesmemo.com

John Betjeman Biography

Sir John Betjeman, CBE (/ˈbɛtʃəmən/; 28 August 1906 – 19 May 1984) was 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.

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John Betjeman Quotes

It's strange that those we miss the most Are those we take for granted.

Granted, Miss, Missing, Strange, Take

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.

Country, Jewel, Jewels, Lane, Missing, Pulled

Old men who never cheated, never doubted, Communicated monthly, sit and stare At the new suburb stretched beyond the run-way Where a young man lands hatless from the air.

Air, Communicated, Hatless, Man, Men, Running

I have a Vision of the Future, chum. The workers flats in fields of soya beans tower up like silver pencils, score on score.

Fields, Like, Tower, Towers, Visions Of The Future, Workers

A whispering and watery Norfolk sound Telling of all the moonlit reeds around.

Moonlit, Norfolk, Reeds, Sound, Telling, Whispering

One mark of good verse is surprise

Good, Mark, Surprise, Verses

History must not be written with bias, and both sides must be given, even if there is only one side.

Bias, Given, History, Side, Sides

Too many people in the modern world view poetry as a luxury, not a necessity like petrol. But to me it's the oil of life.

Like, Luxury, Modern, Oil, Views

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

Clerks, Clouds, Eve, Flower, Silver Bells, Sky

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.

Bust, Horse, Judges, Mummy, Naughty, Silly

I am still reeling with delight at the soaring majesty of Norfolk.

Delight, Majesty, Norfolk, Reeling

Gracious Lord, oh bomb the Germans. Spare their women for Thy Sake, And if that is not too easy, We will pardon Thy Mistake. But, gracious Lord, whate'er shall be, Don't let anyone bomb me.

Bombs, Germans, Lord, Mistake, Sake, Thy

Hymn tunes are the nearest we've got to English folk music.

Folk, Folks, Hymn, Hymns, Nearest, Tunes

Oh! full Surrey twilight! importunate band! Oh! strongly adorable tennis-girl's hand!

Adorable, Girl, Hand, Hands, Twilight

And now, dear Lord, I cannot wait Because I have a luncheon date.

Dear, Dear Lord, Food, Luncheon, Wait, Waiting

I don't think I am any good. If I thought I was any good, I wouldn't be.

Good, Ifs, Think, Thinking, Thought

And I think it was the outline of that church tower at Belaugh against the sky which gave me a passion for churches so that every church I've past since I've wanted to stop and look in.

Churches, Outline, Passion, Past, Think, Thinking

I ought to warn you that my verse is of no interest to people who can think.

Interest, Ought, People, Thinking, Verse

Approval of what is approved of Is as false as a well-kept vow.

Approval, Approved, Belief, False, Vow

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!

Deathbed, Regret, Sex, Work

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John Betjeman Biography

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