The Bard On Croydon Poem by Mary Champion

This ancient place of inns and palaces;
this hub of Tramlink; this birthplace of Moss;
this nest of Eagles - Vieira's merrie men;
skyscrapers built by Mammon for itself
against aesthetic and all decent taste.
This Surrey breed of men, whose little world;
this jaded gem set in the Southwark See;
so often serves to be the butt of jokes;
wisecracks offensive, yet we can but hope,
are only envy of less happy towns.
This tangled plot, this ground; our home - this Croydon.

Brit School, this teeming womb of superstars;
Adele and Amy - famous for their songs;
applauded for their talent round the globe.
The great Roy Hodgson, Tracey Emin too;
Stormzy, Ian Wright, Kirsty McColl,
Dame Peggy Ashcroft - all in Croydon dwelt.
This town of such dear souls, this dear, dear town,
home of the Home Office - known across the world -
is now despised - I weep pronouncing it -
like to a den of thieves - a murder mile.
Croydon aiming for its city status,
so long and so unjustly is denied;
Yet, here it was, that June and Terry strove
to keep up with the posher folk in Purley.
That Croydon that was once a source of pride
hath fallen to its knees- let's raise it high!