Five Days in London, May 1940 by John Lukacs

Author:John Lukacs
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 1999-08-27T04:00:00+00:00

We began this reconstruction of this grave day, 26 May 1940, with an account of the National Day of Prayer in Westminster Abbey. Allow me now to end it with a poem by the gentle English poet John Betjeman. In “In Westminster Abbey” his ironic stanzas portray a somewhat frivolous Englishwoman of a certain class, not of course on that deeply dramatic day of 26 May but most probably earlier, during the Reluctant War.

Let me take this other glove off

As the vox humana swells,

And the beauteous fields of Eden

Bask beneath the Abbey bells.

Here, where England’s statesmen lie,

Listen to a lady’s cry.

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.

Keep our Empire undismembered

Guide our Forces by Thy Hand,

Gallant blacks from far Jamaica,

Honduras and Togoland;

Protect them Lord in all their fights,

And, even more, protect the whites.

Think of what our Nation stands for,

Books from Boots’ and country lanes,

Free speech, free passes, class distinction,

Democracy and proper drains.

Lord, put beneath Thy special care

One-eighty-nine Cadogan Square.

Although dear Lord I am a sinner,

I have done no major crime;

Now FU come to Evening Service

Whensoever I have the time.

So, Lord, reserve for me a crown,

And do not let my shares go down.

I will labour for Thy Kingdom,

Help our lads to win the war,

Send white feathers to the cowards

Join the Women’s Army Corps,

Then wash the Steps around Thy Throne

In the Eternal Safety Zone.

Now I feel a little better,

What a treat to hear Thy Word,

Where the bones of leading statesmen.

Have so often been interr’d.

And now, dear Lord, I cannot wait

Because I have a luncheon date.36

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