This England


This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle

The parks. The beautiful trees, the sound they make in the wind and when it rains, the shade they provide.

The farmers' market across the street every Sunday.

Meat pies.

This Earth of majesty, this seat of Mars

English ice cream: Scoop. The Cow and Bean.

The British Museum. Very big, didn't see everything in six visits, the Greek and Egyptian relics.

The Tower. Nothing to fear, just a man in a mask with an axe.

La Fromagerie: our shop of sacred cheese.

This other Eden, demi-paradise

Walking to work through our neighborhood, across Oxford Street, down the finest shopping sreet, through a park and past a palace.

Books, Will on #19, Andie on #9. Our local library, big with great books and nice librarians who asked us questions about the books, which kept us from spending too much money at ...

Daunt Books.

This fortress built by Nature for herself, against infection and the hand of war

Castles.

The many and varied birds of St. James Park.

Paddington Gardens, right out the door with our wonderful playground. The kids playing there for hours.

This happy breed of men, this little world

Morning runs through Regents Park. Topping Primrose Hill to watch the sun coming up over the city.

The Importance of Being Earnest in Regents Park, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, A Midsummer Night's Dream in Keswick.

The Princess Diana playground, especially the pirate ship.

Double decker buses, of course.

This precious stone set in the silver sea

A pint of Guiness, the Gunmaker Pub, Man U vs. Arsenal.

Waitrose, Pret a Manger, Shoon.

Harry Potter.

BBC Radio 2.

Steel drum bands in Hyde Park.

Which serves it in the office of a wall, or as a moat defensive to a house

Google.

The International Herald Tribune.

Sunny, with clouds and rain. 72 degrees.

Howard House. Whistling from the street.

Against the envy of less happier lands

Going home.

This blessed plot, this Earth, this realm,
this England.



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