Elephant and Castle
Will Hatchett
At London’s gate it rose, in SE1
Democratic and utilitarian
Here, the post-war settlement began
The hub of Abercrombie’s London plan
The giant blocks and decks of the Heygate
Expressed the power and hope of the state
In the sky-leaning architecture we see
Faith in the future and modernity
Over the estate, sheathed in black and grey
The vast Strata tower looms today
The pages of slick brochures show us how
These flats cost millions; bankers live here now
Reward for self-interest – the new way
Society crumbles – a slow-motion decay
The rich get richer, the poor riot a bit
The state did not fail; we failed it
In a legend to make Abercrombie cry
Now here say giant letters in the sky
Each era, a new skin is painted on
The future lost; conservatism won
This poem, about South London's busiest transport hub, is in Will Hatchett's collection 63, a London bus journey. You can read it here on Scribd.
