Christmas (After Betjemen) #poem #poetry

Posted on Dec 17, 2018 by TanGental

I have been rewriting some of the Nation’s favourite poems (I take the first line, and after that anything goes) and this one, based on Sir John Betjeman’s Christmas (no. 70 in the BBC’s top 100) is for those of you struggling to make sense of this particular time of year.

The bells of waiting Advent ring

And still I sit and stare

They say it’s calling to the King

But do I really care?

 

Maybe once there was a point

To all this mumbo jumbo

Now it’s mammon we anoint,

Like some plastic bearing Dumbo

 

At school we’d spend the hours and days

Rehearsing the nativity

These days it really doesn’t pay

To expose our base naïveté.

 

Santa has been Disneyfied

And the only snow is fake

And charity ends up vilified

Since we must be on the make.

 

So what’s the point of Christmas time

We have to ask ourselves

Surely it’s more than a cheesy rhyme

Sung by some plastic elves?

 

It’s time we took back full control

Of all to do with Xmas

We need to hold a people’s poll

And get out the vote for Brexmas

This poem was in part inspired by Stevie Turner’s request for our Christmas poems, here

 

 

 

 

About TanGental

My name is Geoff Le Pard. Once I was a lawyer; now I am a writer. I've published several books: a four book series following Harry Spittle as he grows from hapless student to hapless partner in a London law firm; four others in different genres; a book of poetry; four anthologies of short fiction; and a memoir of my mother. I have several more in the pipeline. I have been blogging regularly since 2014, on topic as diverse as: poetry based on famous poems; memories from my life; my garden; my dog; a whole variety of short fiction; my attempts at baking and food; travel and the consequent disasters; theatre, film and book reviews; and the occasional thought piece. Mostly it is whatever takes my fancy. I avoid politics, mostly, and religion, always. I don't mean to upset anyone but if I do, well, sorry and I suggest you go elsewhere. These are my thoughts and no one else is to blame. If you want to nab anything I post, please acknowledge where it came from.
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17 Responses to Christmas (After Betjemen) #poem #poetry

  2. John W. Howell says:
    Dec 17, 2018 at 4:53 pm

    Very entertaining, Geoff.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. thecontentedcrafter says:
    Dec 17, 2018 at 6:48 pm

    Oh no, not Brexmas! What about all the angelic boy’s choir carols and the lights and the street caroling and the special silence of Christmas morning? That would all go too……..

    Liked by 1 person

  4. willowdot21 says:
    Dec 17, 2018 at 7:29 pm

    Noppppppppoppe

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Chelsea Owens says:
    Dec 18, 2018 at 6:40 am

    The bells of waiting Advent ring
    And so I sit with care.
    They say they’re calling to the King;
    My thoughts raise into prayer.

    Maybe once there was a point
    The common man would know;
    Now it’s mammon we anoint,
    Like some plastic, red Dumbo.

    At school we’d spend the hours and days
    Rehearsing the nativity.
    These days we worry what we say
    To expose a racial naïveté.

    Santa has been Disneyfied
    And London’s snow is fake,
    And charity ends up vilified
    Since we must be on the make.

    So what’s the point of Christmas time –
    We have to ask ourselves.
    Surely it’s more than a cheesy rhyme
    Sung by some Geoff-shaped elves?

    It’s time we thought of what is best
    In all to do with Christmas.
    We need more love shared at this fest
    And less run by a business.

    Liked by 2 people

  6. Rowena says:
    Dec 18, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    Well, Geoffle. You’ve fired up the Australian now with this talk of Brexmas and the elf has also taken up the fight. Quite aside from spiritual matters, do you realize what Brexmas would do to the economy? The impact would be catastrophic. Elf also says he’d be without a job and would need to completely reinvent himself and he doesn’t want to become a Ken doll.
    Now that our kids are getting older and me along with them, I must admit that my interest in Christmas has dropped off a lot this year. I really am feeling like I can’t be bothered. There are too many hard questions like what do you buy a 14 year old boy that doesn’t involving computer games? What are the kids going to eat? They don’t seem to like traditional Christmas food and are pretty fussy eaters in general. Hey, perhaps we could have our Christmas dinner at MCDonalds, which we Australians call “Maccas”. What has our family come to? Perhaps, we’d better have a Brexmas after all.
    Best wishes,
    Ro

    Liked by 3 people

  7. Rowena says:
    Dec 18, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    PS Can Australians have a Brexmas? Or, would it be called something else? Any suggestions? My brain’s worn out.
    Best wishes,
    Ro

    Liked by 2 people

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