Betjeman was right about Surrey about

that board game of boardroom, MGs, safe

secure in its tomb of much green,

but that romance left long since then on the seven - fifteen

to the skyscapes of Mammon.

Let us not dwell on nor examine but

resonate with the studied simplicity of

Joan or Felicity, good Surrey monicas

as we know.

and concentrate now on garden centres

for gravel, log stores bespoke

and trees delivered by cheerful vans

for the absent minded in tweeds and slippers,

and try to ignore for Heaven's sake

the insane grills of electronic gates

as Surrey finally welcomes its strangers and potentates.