Uploaded November 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
YOUR HOUSE
By P B Taylor
I
Your house is a real lovely house
But a fact it is a council flat
Welcome retreat for man or mouse
Beyond the rubber front-door mat
II
Values sake suggests it hides its wares
Human windows sullenly stare out
To the white cold black night airs
Or from within winter was not about
III
A Christmas has flown, come in and gone
Light flurries hectic white swirling snows
It surrounds us sleeping as an Xmas song
Crying aloud outside and blitz our windows
IV
Outside your flat is the friendly face
Stone windows embraced our wet street
Really a bit bourgeois and a dull place
In that Leeds suburb not so very sweet
Yes, your house is a real lovely house
Harrogate Leeds Law Library October 1973
Phillip Taylor MBE was born in Amersham and educated at London University and the Inns of Court School of Law. His working life was spent, firstly at the BBC in London, in the Ministry of Defence and the Army, and then as a barrister at law and mediator at Lincoln’s Inn after he was called to the Bar.
He was Chairman of the Society of Civil Service Authors Poetry Workshop from 1982 to 1986 and contributed to their annual anthology FOCUS. His poems and short stories have appeared in journals, magazines and newsletters and some have been broadcast by the BBC. He has produced several poetry collections since 1972.
The Poetry Workshop was founded by Bill Barnes in 1970. It was a part of the Society of Civil Service Authors (founded in 1935) which now known as the Society of Civil and Public Service Writers.
YOUR HOUSE
By P B Taylor
I
Your house is a real lovely house
But a fact it is a council flat
Welcome retreat for man or mouse
Beyond the rubber front-door mat
II
Values sake suggests it hides its wares
Human windows sullenly stare out
To the white cold black night airs
Or from within winter was not about
III
A Christmas has flown, come in and gone
Light flurries hectic white swirling snows
It surrounds us sleeping as an Xmas song
Crying aloud outside and blitz our windows
IV
Outside your flat is the friendly face
Stone windows embraced our wet street
Really a bit bourgeois and a dull place
In that Leeds suburb not so very sweet
Yes, your house is a real lovely house
Harrogate Leeds Law Library October 1973
Phillip Taylor MBE was born in Amersham and educated at London University and the Inns of Court School of Law. His working life was spent, firstly at the BBC in London, in the Ministry of Defence and the Army, and then as a barrister at law and mediator at Lincoln’s Inn after he was called to the Bar.
He was Chairman of the Society of Civil Service Authors Poetry Workshop from 1982 to 1986 and contributed to their annual anthology FOCUS. His poems and short stories have appeared in journals, magazines and newsletters and some have been broadcast by the BBC. He has produced several poetry collections since 1972.
The Poetry Workshop was founded by Bill Barnes in 1970. It was a part of the Society of Civil Service Authors (founded in 1935) which now known as the Society of Civil and Public Service Writers.
