I looked at Poems on the underground, a leaflet I picked up on an underground station. Why are there no jolly poems about the underground. I resolved to write one, several. Here is one on Waterloo.
Baker loo and Water loo
by Angela Lansbury
The Bakerloo and Waterloo
Which separate into two words
No typo, autocorrect's the clue
From l'eau we get our slang word loo
The train line is the Bakerloo
Which started once at Baker Street
Ran south to end at Waterloo
The line's name makes both merge and meet
From Harrow and Wealdstone in the north
To change at Willesden Junction
Commuters rush to sally forth
To work, a wedding or a function
From Baker Street, Madame Tussaud
The Planetarium's next door, too
You see the queue and cross the road
So much in one place, on the Bakerloo
In daylight go to London Zoo
Admire Nash columns in Regents Park
Watch lights at Piccadilly, too
See shows and discos after dark
On Baker Street, you'll pause to see
The place where you collect what's lost
The office of Lost Property
Before you head to Charing Cross
Like Sherlock Holmes, maps we inspect
To help all tourists on their way
Wave them on routes which we detect
Make sure they have a happy day
French, don't object to Waterloo
A name selected long time past
A few make a big hullabaloo
The English take another view
We forget battles that have past
No longer care who won or lost
We refuse to change the name
Because the change is too much cost
In Waterloo, or World War Two
Both our flags, red white and blue
We shrug and smile and have no clue
In recent times we support you
Yesterday's enmity must go
Entente cordiale must grow
If you've a map we'll gladly show
The way to go to Waterloo
To tourists here just for one day
With shopping bags perched on their lap
We'll gladly guide them on their way
Translate recordings, 'Mind the gap!'
When your cash has all been spent
Walk along the Thames riverside
Alight by the bridges at Embankment
And view the London Eye alongside
From Baker Street to Waterloo
To Oxford Circus for clothes and shoes
Carnaby street, murals and history
Selfridges and department stores
So much to see, to buy, to do
A lifetime's not half enough time
Along the line called Bakerloo
To see all linked by just one line.
Copyright Angela Lansbury Jan 10 2016
Baker loo and Water loo
by Angela Lansbury
The Bakerloo and Waterloo
Which separate into two words
No typo, autocorrect's the clue
From l'eau we get our slang word loo
The train line is the Bakerloo
Which started once at Baker Street
Ran south to end at Waterloo
The line's name makes both merge and meet
From Harrow and Wealdstone in the north
To change at Willesden Junction
Commuters rush to sally forth
To work, a wedding or a function
To Paddington from Heathrow's fast
And if you haven't got a clue
Brunel's statue will welcome you
The Bakerloo goes to Waterloo
And if you haven't got a clue
Brunel's statue will welcome you
The Bakerloo goes to Waterloo
From Baker Street, Madame Tussaud
The Planetarium's next door, too
You see the queue and cross the road
So much in one place, on the Bakerloo
In daylight go to London Zoo
Admire Nash columns in Regents Park
Watch lights at Piccadilly, too
See shows and discos after dark
The place where you collect what's lost
The office of Lost Property
Before you head to Charing Cross
Like Sherlock Holmes, maps we inspect
To help all tourists on their way
Wave them on routes which we detect
Make sure they have a happy day
A name selected long time past
A few make a big hullabaloo
The English take another view
We forget battles that have past
No longer care who won or lost
We refuse to change the name
Because the change is too much cost
In Waterloo, or World War Two
Both our flags, red white and blue
We shrug and smile and have no clue
In recent times we support you
Yesterday's enmity must go
Entente cordiale must grow
If you've a map we'll gladly show
The way to go to Waterloo
To tourists here just for one day
With shopping bags perched on their lap
We'll gladly guide them on their way
Translate recordings, 'Mind the gap!'
When your cash has all been spent
Walk along the Thames riverside
Alight by the bridges at Embankment
And view the London Eye alongside
From Baker Street to Waterloo
To Oxford Circus for clothes and shoes
Carnaby street, murals and history
Selfridges and department stores
So much to see, to buy, to do
A lifetime's not half enough time
Along the line called Bakerloo
Copyright Angela Lansbury Jan 10 2016
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