Ode to London
London where parliament convenes,
Home of the pearly kings and queens,
Crowds of people on shopping sprees,
Remember to mind the gap please,
Cockneys bound by ringing Bow bells,
The streets where the Spring Heeled Jack dwells,
Set to the clockwork of Big Ben,
Soon the royal guards change again,
Great treasures such as the crown jewels,
Westminster abbey and st. Paul's,
Road traffic crammed with red buses,
Every other local cusses,
Around the snaking River Thames,
History of the big smoke stems,
Grim streets that have charm regardless,
To the plush Buckingham Palace.
poem by Christian Lacdael
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Related quotes
Moon Shining Over The London Bridge
The sky is dark now
And the night is here again
But there is a moon shining over the London Bridge right over the sky
And I keep watching that moon while I rest for a while at the Thames River
But I can't take my eyes of the moon that is shining over the London Bridge right over the sky because it is beautiful to see
And at the same time it is getting late now but I don't mind at all because I Rather stay all night at The Thames river watching the moon shining over The London Bridge right over the sky
Yes the Big Ben chined midnight now and London is going to sleep
But I am falling asleep now at The Thames river below the naked three That is there at the Thanes River
Also all the buildings near The Thames river have their lights out
And I am sleeping in totall darkness and at the same time enjoying the Peace and quiet of the Thames river during the night
But near the Thames River is always cold and I don't mind at all Because I am dressed for this kind of weather
But this night at the Thames River I will always remember because it Will be the best sleep I ever had in years
poem by Aldo Kraas
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The Camera Eye
Grim-faced and forbidding,
Their faces closed tight,
An angular mass of new yorkers
Pacing in rhythm,
Race the oncoming night,
They chase through the streets of manhattan.
Headfirst humanity,
Pause at a light,
Then flow through the streets of the city.
They seem oblivious
To a soft spring rain,
Like an english rain
So light, yet endless
From a leaden sky.
The buildings are lost in the limitless rise.
My feet catch the pulse and the purposeful stride.
I feel the sense of possibilities,
I feel the wrench of hard realities.
The focus is sharp in the city.
Wide-angle watcher
On lifes ancient tales,
Steeped in the history of london.
Mist in the streets of westminster.
Wistful and weathered,
The pride still prevails,
Alive in the streets of the city.
Are they oblivious
To this quality?
A quality
Of light unique to
Every citys streets.
Pavements may teem with intense energy,
But the city is calm in this violent sea.
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Bells
And the actresses relate
To the actor who comes home late
After the plays have gone down
And the crowds have scattered around
Though the city lights and the streets
No ticket could be beat
For the beautiful show of shows
Ah, broadway only knows
The great white milky way
It had something to say
When he fell down on his knees
After soaring through the air
With nothing to hold him there
It was really not so cute
To play without a parachute
As he stood upon the ledge
Looking out, he thought he saw a brook
And he hollered, look, there are the bells
And he sang out, here come the bells
Here come the bells, here come the bells
Here come the bells
Here come the bells
Here come the bells
Here come the bells
Here come the bells
song performed by by Lou Reed
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Thames! Beautiful Thames!
Thames! Beautiful Thames!
Thames River arises at Gloucestershire,
flows thro' London, the capital of U.K;
Thames River is tidal in London
With a rise and fall of 7 meters,
The river is fed by more than 20 tributaries;
The Thames River which flows alongside
several other towns and cities -
Oxford, Reading, Henley-on-Thames,
Windsor, Kingston upon Thames and Richmond -
is beautiful;
Thames River has a total length of 215 mile,
River banks on either side are beautiful,
Pavement strolling stretch on either side
is beautiful;
Boats sailing in Thames river are beautiful,
Young women who sail in the boats are beautiful,
White swan pairs' which swim in the river are beautiful;
Watching swans from the bridge,
- which spans Reading and Caversham -
somersaulting to catch the fish
is still more exciting and beautiful!
Thames! Beautiful Thames!
poem by V.K. Kanniappan
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Morning Cormorant
A sudden sight, a wonder in the humdrum
Among the thronging streets of run-down London
Upon the river bank, crammed in by traffic
A perched, black bird, though nothing as dramatic
As flocks of squawking seagulls on the common
But this sole, common shag won't be forgotten:
Uncommon cormorant, a seaside fisher
Who chose to catch his fish in my New River,
A morning miracle of inspiration
That brightened my dull bus-ride to the station.
poem by C. Richard Miles
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Jolly Old England
Sultry poetry older than Chaucer
Fresh roses for Elizabeth and Victoria
Horse and carriage, chivalry
Bards and skylarks, royal carpets
Protocol with silver trays and tea
Portraits old with ancient ghosts
Castles decor the novels of romance
Gothic knights alive in immortal pages
Green Scotland, tales of noble Wales
Language like the winds of love
Young Keats and brilliant Shakespeare
J R Tolkien with his beloved Hobbits
Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London
Dracula walks your dark streets
Is Dorian Gray the soul of Oscar Wilde?
Jack the Ripper will always stalk
Myth and legend, Shelly and Byron
Oxford, Big Ben and Parliament
The Lake District with Wordsworth
Loch Ness monsters never die
Britannia rules the waves, The Albert Hall
Dickens dines with Charlotte and Emily Bronte
Robin Hood, Sir Lancelot, Sherlock Holmes
Sir Isaac Newton greets the Beatles
England the world salutes you!
poem by Joseph Narusiewicz
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The Bells and Queen Victoria
1911
"Gay go up and gay go down
To ring the Bells of London Town."
When London Town's asleep in bed
You'll hear the Bells ring overhead.
In excelsis gloria!
Ringing for Victoria,
Ringing for their mighty mistress--ten years dead!
THE BELLS:
Here is more gain than Gloriana guessed--
Then Gloriana guessed or Indies bring--
Then golden Indies bring. A Queen confessed--
A Queen confessed that crowned her people King.
Her people King, and crowned a11 Kings above,
Above a11 Kings have crowned their Queen their love--
Have crowned their love their Queen, their Queen their love!
Denying her, we do ourselves deny,
Disowning her are we ourselves disowned.
Mirror was she of our fidelity,
And handmaid of our destiny enthroned;
The very marrow of Youth's dream, and still
Yoke-mate of wisest Age that worked her will!
Our fathers had declared to us her praise--
Her praise the years had proven past all speech.
And past all speech our loyal hearts always,
Always our hearts lay open, each to each--
Therefore men gave the treasure of their blood
To this one woman--for she understood!
Four o' the clock! Now all the world is still.
Oh, London Bells, to all the world declare
The Secret of the Empire--read who will!
The Glory of the People--touch who dare!
THE BELLS:
Power that has reached itself all kingly powers,
St. Margaret's: By love o'erpowered--
St. Martin's: By love o'erpowered--
St. Clement Danes: By love o'erpowered,
The greater power confers!
THE BELLS:
For we were hers, as she, as she was ours,
Bow Bells: And she was ours--
St. Paul's: And she was ours--
Westminister: And she was ours,
As we, even we, were hers!
THE BELLS
As we were hers!
poem by Rudyard Kipling
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Don't stand aloof
We stand aloof and watch their crimes
Taking the lives of leaders to be
Just because they own the guns
And the knives to scare us all,
London streets are not for crimes,
London streets are ours to claim.
Let us stand against their crimes,
Re-claim the streets that belong to us,
Why must we stand and watch their crimes
Allowing the guns to rule our streets
And ruin the lives of those we love
London streets belong to us.
Drop your guns, dropp your knives,
Drop all the wrapped up drugs.
Free London streets from deaths of youths
Unnecessary and wasteful deaths.
London streets belong to all
London streets is for all to share.
Why must we just stand aloof?
UK
poem by Enitan Onikoyi
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Watching Swans From Caversham Bridge
Thames! Beautiful Thames! !
Thames flows through London
Thames is tidal With a rise and fall
of 7 meters in London;
Thames flows through 'Reading'
And its banks are beautiful,
Pavement strolling stretch on either side
is beautiful;
Boats sailing in Thames
Young women who sail in the boats
White swan pairs' which swim in the river
are beautiful;
Watching from Caversham bridge,
somersaulting swans catching the fish
is still more exciting!
Thames! Beautiful Thames! !
poem by V.K. Kanniappan
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O! Spring
O! Spring
Come O! Storm of spring with prowess of youth
Come at budded life of spring coloring the mind
Young soul come
Come being sprinted on leafless tree.
Come O! Spring, come with fierce storm
Come singing the song of earth and man.
Burring fire in eyes offering great homage of block
Downing own self may be own
The sorrow, the hardship, the agitated way-
Great soul of heavenly happiness is sleeping at every seed
Fruit or seed first- who will answer?
As essential the sun the woman is to that extent.
Does river loses its soul when mix with sea?
Does every cloud cusses rainfall?
O! Spring, through any road you move
Homage of flower blooms at every road of those!
poem by Bongokobida Zakaria
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Lord Bless All
Ah....
Lord bless all. lord let all be blessed.
And when you sleep. london streets are silent.
All the world is full of song.
And when you have woken , after dawn has broken.
Snow filled fens will vaguely fill your eyes .
Youll be guided by good will.
Now the bells in your town are ringing .
Far away the joy of carols singing .
Bringing all a song to share.
Lord bless all. lord let all be blessed
And when you sleep . london streets are silent
(break)
Ah....
song performed by by Bee Gees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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London
It was november 4th
I last held your hand
It seemed our time would last forever
You said dont ever leave
I thought youd never go
I wish I could just remember your name...
Youre just a memory now
Like all the ones before
But with your pain Ive had to suffer
Your eyes alight with flame
As the picture burns
I hear the screams from long ago
They cry remember, blood-red streaks on
Velvet throats at night
The streetlights fanned our trail of fame
Through
London london
The memories will never leave me
London london
All I see is you
London london
The cries in the night
Keep bringing me to
London london
Calling out to me
Oh theres some things in life I could never face
The worst is being alone
Sometimes I wish I could have taken your
Place my love
You know I dont want to live forever
Oh let me see you standing in the
Shadows once again
Well walk the streets like long ago in
London london
The fire in your eyes will be bringing me to
London london
All I need is you
The cries in the night keep ringing on in
London london
Calling out to you
song performed by by Queensryche
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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London Song
Theres a room in a house in a street in a manor in a borough
Thats part of a city that is generally referred to as london
Its a dark place, a mysterious place
And it is said that if youre born within the sound of bow-bells
You have the necessary qualifications to be christened a londoner
[its a cruel place, its a hard place]
But when you think back to all the great londoners
William blake, charles dickens, dick whittington,
Pearly kings, barrow boys, arthur daley, max wall
And dont forget the kray twins
But if youre ever up on highgate hill on a clear day
You can see right down to leicester square [london, london]
Crystal palace, clapham common, right down to streatham hill
North and south, I feel that Im a londoner still [london, london]
Chiswick bridge to newham and east ham
Churchbells ring out through the land
You were born in london, england
[london, london, through the dark alley-ways and passages of london]
And theres a tap by a reservoir, leading to a stream,
That turns into a river estuary that eventually opens to the sea
[london, london]
And theres a docker by a wharf, sending cargo overseas,
Unloading foreign trade from a large ocean vessel
In the mighty metropolitan port of london
[london, london, through the dark alley-ways and passages of london]
When I think of all the londoners still unsung
East-enders, west-enders, oriental-enders
Fu manchu, sherlock holmes, jack spock, henry cooper,
Thomas abecket, thomas moore, and dont forget the kray twins
Theres a part of me that says get out
Then one day Ill hear somebody shout
Sounds to me like you come from london town
But if youre ever up on highgate hill on a clear day,
Ill be there [Ill be there]
Yes I will be there [there]
Through the dark alley-ways and passages of london, london
London, london, through the dark alley-ways and passages of london, london
London, london, through the dark alley-ways and passages of london, london
song performed by by Kinks
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Nation Celebrates
Boats take to the Thames to honour the Queen:
The most craft, at any one time, the river has seen.
On to the trains, thousands of people cram.
On the roads, there are massive traffic jams.
People pack in to pubs to consume a few beers:
There is much merriment, and calls of ‘cheers! '
People are attending parties in their streets:
Long tables are laden with tasty treats to eat.
In towns, shops windows are patriotically dressed.
Across the nation, people put on their Sunday best.
Everywhere that you look is brightly festooned
With flags, bunting, streamers, and party balloons.
Of Jubilee memorabilia, there is certainly no lack:
Just about every item possible bears the Union Jack.
There are Jubilee jelly moulds and garden gnomes:
Just about everything that you'd need for your home.
Even the packaging on much supermarket food,
Bears the patriotic colours of red, white and blue.
Thousands of beacons are being lit. Burning bright,
They glow in the dark with a glorious, golden light.
At the Palace, there is a massive musical celebration,
Which is enjoyed by thousands right across the nation.
Tower Bridge is adorned with thousands of lights:
Lit up at night, it makes a truly magnificent sight.
People don Union Jack hats or wear cardboard crowns.
Some paint their faces, or wear patriotic party gowns.
The rather rainy weather, the nation stoically braves.
A sea of Union Jack flags, by well-wishers, is waved.
Our warmest wishes to Her Majesty, our nation sends.
We're having a great time this Bank Holiday weekend.
It is a time for our whole nation to all come together.
Memories of this very special occasion will last for ever.
poem by Angela Wybrow
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London
London, a silhouette of old and new buildings,
some, still with winding staircases,
dark dismal cellars and dusty attics.
Sky scrapers, office blocks,
chic cottages and town houses
in, tiny, back street lanes
where I seldom wander
The London Eye revolves in the sky line,
spying on us, ogling the City,
that old river Thames,
with its river boats, old ships,
odd ships and the Houses of Parliament,
offices, where we, the peasants
may only look through the glass.
As a child I truly believed
that one day, I'd go into every building,
curiosity my forte, but of course,
there are too many, mostly private,
barred from my prying eyes,
except for some Castles, the Palace,
the Tower and its dungeons.
These are the buildings of London,
with its art galleries, theatres,
churches and museums.
No doubt some are haunted,
their ghosts still walking
within their walls,
at dusk, when shadows fall.
poem by Ruth Walters
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Thomas Hood
NO courtier this, and naught to courts he owed,
Fawned not on thrones, hymned not the great and callous,
Yet, in one strain, that few remember, showed
He had the password of King Oberon's palace.
And seeing a London seamstress's gray fate,
He of a human heartstring made a thread,
And stitched him such a royal robe of state
That Eastern Kings are poorlier habited.
He saw wan Woman toil with famished eyes;
He saw her bound, and strove to sing her free.
He saw her fall'n; and wrote 'The Bridge of Sighs' -
And on it crossed to immortality.
poem by William Watson
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London Streets
Went to
Royal
Albert Hall
To watch
A concert.
The warmth of the
Show
Waned away,
Walking in the
Cold and biting
London streets.
The grandeur of the
Show
Faded away
Seeing the
Poor and homeless
Squatting in those
Dreadfully cold,
Raining and pouring
Sub-zero freezing…
London streets.
(Poetry themed on Disparity)
poem by Aparna Chatterjee
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The Bells Are Ringing
The bells are ringing
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
The bells are ringing
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
They hear the instructions (bringing the people round)
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound (they travel great distances to the sound)
They are persuaded by the music of the bells
Theyre not responsible for anything they do
(no) the people know
(no) the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound
They hear the sound (they hear the sound)
They hear the sound (they hear the sound)
They hear the sound (they hear the sound)
They hear the sound
The bells are ringing
And everyones walking
With arms extended in a trance
Forgetting their washing
Neglecting the children
Theyre dropping all businesses at hand
A voice is telling them to act a different way
They tilt their heads so they wont miss what it will say
(no) and when its so
(no) theres this to know
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound
The bells are ringing
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
They are persuaded by the music of the bells
Theyre not responsible for anything they do
(no) the people know
(no) the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound
A girl with cotton in her ears
Is shielded from the bells effect
As if by hidden signal
The people turn to face her
One thousand eyes are staring
They pull away her earplugs
The bells are pealing
And theyre revealing
The simple key to happiness
It isnt evil
It isnt good
Its only what the people miss
The bells explain what theyve been lacking all along
They were disorganized and that was what was wrong
(no) and now they know
(no) the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound
The bells are ringing
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
They hear the instructions (bringing the people round)
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
The bells are ringing (bringing the people round)
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
They hear the instructions (bringing the people round)
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
The bells are ringing (bringing the people round)
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
They hear the instructions (bringing the people round)
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound (they travel great distances to the sound)
song performed by by They Might Be Giants
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Bells Of Saint James
Walsh, Morse)
--------------------
Her letters gave me purpose
Her letters gave me pride
Armies far across the ocean
Guns and letters by our side
It was someone else's homeland
It was someone else's war
But at the line of the 38th parallel
It was her I fought them for
Her victory garden grew from weeds and from stone
I smelled those flowers in my sleep
The day I left as we were standing alone
She swore to me those dreams would keep
And the bells of St. James were ringing
The bells of St. James were ringing down
Lifting the eyes of those homeward bound
I don't remember when those words changed
Like Kansas summer turns to fall
But she quit talking 'bout the future
Never mentioned dreams at all
I don't blame by enemies and I don't blame my wife
For love fires that fleeted long ago
But when she wrote me about this change in her life
There was just one thing I had to know
And the bells of St. James were ringing
The bells of St. James were ringing down
Lifting the eyes of those homeward bound
song performed by by Kansas
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I remember wearing overcoats, hiding in the bushes outside of Abbey Road Studios, waiting for the traffic to clear. As it did, we would drop our overcoats and run out on to the cross walk and strike our poses.
quote by Jack Irons
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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