Oh England so pleasant and green,
ruled for years by our gracious Queen,
can a better place e’er be seen?
Oh land of my soul!
Oh England so full and crowded,
where hostile hearts can feel so clouded,
and happy humour oft is shrouded.
Oh land of my fears!
Those rolling hills of green and gold,
those footpaths trod by young and old,
across those fields, through weald or wold.
Oh land of my birth!
Those babbling brooks, those leafy lanes,
those ancient stones high on the plains,
those verdant pastures washed by rains.
Oh land of my heart!
Those craggy cliffs, those sandy shores,
those forests roamed by wolves and boars,
in bygone days, now mine and yours.
Oh land of our life!
Those concrete towers, those dark fir trees,
Those closed mines and empty factories,
Those turbines whirling in the breeze,
Oh land of our strife!
Those towers and spires that stand so tall,
those gardens within our cottage wall,
those wondrous colours of the fall.
Oh land of our fathers!
Cornish pasties, Devon cream teas,
fish, chips and peas beside the seas,
roast beef, and Yorkshire pudding please!
Oh land of our cravings!
Those crowded, fumy motorways,
those busy streets, that city haze,
those traffic jams on holidays!
Oh land of our nightmares!
The full blown English rose so sweet,
the wood smoke in the village street,
the village pub where we all meet.
Oh land of our dreams!
England, land of hope and glory,
England’s two sides of its story.
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Submitted to Helium.com 10.05.12
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