John Betjeman




On Seeing an Old Poet in the
                Café Royal

I saw him in the Café Royal,
    Very old and very grand.
Modernistic shone the lamplight
    There in London's fairyland.
“Devilled chicken. Devilled whitebait.
    Devil if I understand.

Where is Oscar? Where is Bosie?
    Have I seen that man before?
And the old one in the corner,
    Is it really Wratislaw?”
Scent of Tutti-Frutti-Sen-Sen
    And cheroots upon the floor.