Streets, and other verses

A vibrant portrait of a city in verse, this collection opens with a sprawling ode to London’s endless charms and contradictions. From bustling theatres and noisy taverns to quiet gardens and mist‑clad spires, the poet walks the streets, turning ordinary scenes—barges on the Thames, early motor‑buses, the hum of railway trains—into moments of unexpected wonder. The language is both lively and reflective, capturing the city’s gritty alleys and its polished terraces with equal affection.

Interwoven among the street sketches are intimate snapshots of neighbourhoods, from the modest cottages of Leytonstone to the genteel avenues of Knightsbridge, each stanza offering a glimpse into the lives that populate them. The poems celebrate everyday encounters—lovers returning home, clerks dreaming of a better life, a lone poet recalling Swinburne—while hinting at the hidden dramas that linger in the shadows. Listeners will feel the pulse of the metropolis and hear its many voices echo through each carefully crafted line.