The muskets are hushed on Hackney Marsh;
The pheasants revolted at Stratford.
In Streatham, the meerkats have reached an impasse,
And muskrats are marching through Catford.
The finches of Finchley are twitching their nets
And tweeting their terror of looting;
While suburban foxes have brought bayonets
On Northern Line tunnels from Tooting.
The leopards wear skin-coats in Lombard Street;
At Smithfield, the carrion moulders,
While roundheaded hedgehogs rally to meet
The cavalier peacocks at Golders.
In Bromley, baboons are behaving like brutes;
In Lambeth, the Bishop is barking.
At St Pauls, the pigs play the whistle and flute.
At Harrods, the Panzers are parking.
The Queen takes her tea with the hatter and mouse
In Pall Mall. At Parliament Square,
The Bullingdon boar pokes his snout in the House
To snuffle the truffles in there.
The wombats abandoned their Wimbledon den,
And hamsters deserted the Heath,
When Notting Hill vultures invaded Big Ben
And proclaimed their penchant for beef.
The great eat the small in the great free for all,
Most bloody in both tooth and claw.
All creatures are equal in Manor Farm Hall,
Some less so in animal war.
Cliff James
The pheasants revolted at Stratford.
In Streatham, the meerkats have reached an impasse,
And muskrats are marching through Catford.
The finches of Finchley are twitching their nets
And tweeting their terror of looting;
While suburban foxes have brought bayonets
On Northern Line tunnels from Tooting.
The leopards wear skin-coats in Lombard Street;
At Smithfield, the carrion moulders,
While roundheaded hedgehogs rally to meet
The cavalier peacocks at Golders.
In Bromley, baboons are behaving like brutes;
In Lambeth, the Bishop is barking.
At St Pauls, the pigs play the whistle and flute.
At Harrods, the Panzers are parking.
The Queen takes her tea with the hatter and mouse
In Pall Mall. At Parliament Square,
The Bullingdon boar pokes his snout in the House
To snuffle the truffles in there.
The wombats abandoned their Wimbledon den,
And hamsters deserted the Heath,
When Notting Hill vultures invaded Big Ben
And proclaimed their penchant for beef.
The great eat the small in the great free for all,
Most bloody in both tooth and claw.
All creatures are equal in Manor Farm Hall,
Some less so in animal war.
Cliff James