“Slough” – Sir John Betjeman, 1937
Come, friendly bombs, and rain down on Slough!
It’s no place for humanity now;
There’s no grass for cows to graze.
Come, Death, swarm over us!
Let the bombs explode and shatter to pieces
Those bright, air-conditioned canteens—
Canned fruit, canned meat, canned milk, and beans,
Canned thoughts, canned breaths.
Ruin the chaos they call a town—
A home for ninety-seven souls,
And once a week, a half a crown
Paid for twenty long years.
And take aim at that man with the double chin,
The one who cheats and always wins,
Who washes his loathsome skin
In the tears of women.
Smash his polished oak desk,
Break his hands that are so used to caress,
Silence his dull, dirty jokes
And make him scream.
But spare the bald clerks who calculate
The profits of that wretched cad;
It’s not their fault they’ve lost their way—
They’ve glimpsed Hell.
They can’t help not knowing
The sweet sound of birdsong on the radio,
Or that they often drift away
To Maidenhead.
They talk of sports and car brands
In those fake-Tudor bars,
Afraid to look up and see the stars,
Instead, they just burp.
In labor-saving homes, they spend their days,
While their wives frizz their peroxide hair,
Drying it in synthetic air
And painting their nails.
So come, friendly bombs, and drop down on Slough,
Prepare the soil for the plough.
The cabbages are coming soon;
The earth breathes again.
This poem by Sir John Betjeman is a powerful critique of modern life and urban development, particularly in post-war Britain. With its strong imagery and biting wit, the speaker calls for destruction of a town that he sees as devoid of humanity and life, reflecting a deep disillusionment with the industrial landscape.
Key Themes and Analysis:
Disconnection from Nature: Betjeman laments the absence of natural beauty, notably in the line about there being “no grass to graze a cow.” This suggests a disconnect from the pastoral and organic world, replaced instead by sterile, man-made environments.
Criticism of Modernity: The “air-conditioned, bright canteens” and “tinned minds” reveal a sense of depersonalization in the modern world, where convenience has led to a lack of authenticity. The use of the word “tinned” underscores a society that has sacrificed freshness and vitality for uniformity and artificiality.
Social Commentary: The poet’s disdain for the “man with the double chin” is indicative of the perceived greed and moral decay that come with capitalism. There’s a suggestion that the corporate world, represented by this man, is devoid of ethics. The clerk’s suffering, however, elicits sympathy, pointing out that their madness arises from a system they are helpless to change.
Desire for Renewal: The concluding lines express a yearning for renewal and a return to simpler, more agricultural ways of living. By calling for bombs to clear Slough for “the plough,” Betjeman envisions a rebirth of the land, suggesting that only through destruction can something new and vital emerge.
Irony and Humor: Even in the midst of this dark call for destruction, there’s an undercurrent of humor. The poem’s tone oscillates between a lament and a satirical jab at the absurdities of suburban life, highlighting the ridiculous while also provoking serious reflection on societal values.
Overall, Betjeman’s poem serves as both a biting critique of modern life and a longing for a return to authenticity and nature, urging readers to reflect on what has been lost in the march of progress.