In Westminster Abbey

“I don’t think I am any good. If I thought I was any good, I wouldn’t be.”
– John Betjeman

“I ought to warn you that my verse is of no interest to people who can think.”
– John Betjeman

When Caley asked us what we thought about poetry on the first day of class, I said something short and sweet: “I hate poetry!” However, after reading “In Westminster Abbey,” by John Betjeman, I have to retract that statement and replace it with the following: “I hate 99.9% of poetry.” The reason why I have made this “dramatic” change in my opinion of poetry is that “In Westminster Abbey” is one of the funniest pieces of writing I have read in my life. The poem made me realise that poetry can actually be fun and interesting to read.

The poem is a satyrical prayer addressed to God, asking Him to help England win World War 2. When I first read the poem, I thought that the author was racist. For example, the narrator prays:

Gallant blacks from far Jamaica,
Honduras and Togoland;
Protect them Lord in all their fights,
And, even more, protect the whites. (lines 14-18)

However, reading this passage with the knowledge that the author was being facetious rather than serious made me gain a little more respect for John Betjeman.

My favourite passage is the second stanza because of the hilarious way in which Betjeman describes the speaker’s repulsive personality. It becomes apparent that the author is being facetious with the language used in the first line of stanza two, “Gracious Lord, oh bomb the Germans” (line 7). The absurdity of this line is shown by the use of the word “Gracious” to describe God, juxtaposed with an appeal for Him to “bomb the Germans.” I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t seem like a gracious God is one who would take part in bombing people. The ridiculousness of the narrator’s prayer becomes even more apparent when she asks God to spare the German women, but only if it’s not too much trouble for Him. She asks God to, “Spare their women for Thy Sake, And if that’s not too easy We will pardon Thy Mistake” (lines 8-10). The second stanza ends with a glimpse into the speaker’s extremely self-centred nature as she asks God, above all, to spare her life. It’s okay, of course, if God bombs a bunch of German women, but God forbid (forgive the pun) she, herself, be killed.

The poem also has a lot of satirical criticism of the British upper class, indicated by the narrator’s praise of “Books from Boots”—a profit-driven library—and “class distinction” (lines 20-21). Moreover, the speaker’s plea to save “One-eighty-nine Cadogan Square” (an upper class area, and most likely her own address), suggests the author is ridiculing British high society’s inflated sense of self-importance. It is only an extremely narcissistic person who would ask God for special protection of her own house, while ignoring the homes of the millions of poor British people (“peasants” as the speaker would say).

Betjeman provides several more clues throughout the poem that hint at the speaker’s selfish, arrogant, and—what some would call—vile personality. He uses satire to address serious issues (such as World War 2 and our relationship to God), and in the case of this poem, his lighthearted comedy illuminates the ridiculous way in which some people relate to the divine.

Works Cited
Betjeman, John. “In Westminster Abbey.” The Broadview Introduction to Literature: Poetry. Eds. Lisa Chalykoff,        Neta Gordon, and Paul Lumsden. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press,     2013. 246-247. Print.

“1.10 In Westminster Abbey.” Youtube. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. <http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=6p6PMFZb8aU>.

L.E. / Engl 101 / COTR (Winter 2014)