Belsize Park’s own Poet Laureate

Thornton’s Budgens have become the first supermarket in the country (maybe the world?) to have its own Poet Laureate. Dr Robert Ilson is the Poet Laureate for the Belsize Park store.

You can read his poetic output for Thornton’s Budgens Belsize Park below. Now Thornton’s Budgens Crouch End is looking for its own Poet Laureate, for details click here

Our Daily Food “Work is love made manifest.” – Our Motto

O happy folk of Crouch End !
You know that life is good
And that when you go shopping
There is no lack of food.

How generous is Crouch End !
Your streets are lined with shops,
All striving each in its way
To manage to be tops.

But one shop’s super-special.
Why so ? Well, for a start
It’s in the heart of Crouch End
And Crouch End’s in its heart.

Here’s everything you wanted,
Humble or exalted :
Those who have tried these fine wares
Know they can’t be faulted.

Global in range yet local,
Boasting Crouch End’s own best
Products and produce daily
To complement the rest.

AND – I find this amazing
Although I know it’s so –
Atop this shop’s a garden
Where veg and herbs can grow :

Manna that’s taken downstairs
To be displayed with pride.
That’s where I’m going. Why not,
Friends, join me soon inside ?

The Fare Of Our Fair Food Fayre

Our Cornucopia’s here and now.
Roll up ! Roll up and see
And touch and taste and maybe buy
Although there’s lots for free !

YOU’re all our Guests of Honour, who
Have come from everywhere
Not just to sample our displays
But so that you can share

This day with family and friends
And meet your neighbours, too,
And possibly make new friends here
Of folk you never knew.

It’s like The Good Old Days again,
The Golden Days Of Yore,
When everyone came to the Fayre
For shopping – and much more !

Still Life with Seafood

O happy folk of Belsize Park
At last you have your wish,
For Thornton’s Budgens now presents
A plenitude of fish !

Their glistening scales, their shining shells
Backed by unblemished ice
Reveal to every connoisseur
That they’re fit to entice.

They’re fresh, they’re flavoursome, they want
To have their taste released
And zestify the simplest meal
Into a royal feast.

These are the sea’s gift to the land
Brought from afar for you
To choose your favourites from – or else
To try out something new.

Thanksgiving Ode
Thornton’s Budgens : Green Business of the Year

Prize or no prize, they would have done it
Not just because they can but because they want to
So that the Earth, our generous provider,
May be generous still as we are tender to her ;
So that we may dine with a clear conscience ;
So that our children may know where their food comes from
And be both glad and grateful.

The farmer tends the fields,
The fisherfolk the sea,
The grocer vends their yields
As food for you and me.
Wise merchants understand
That they have their part too
In keeping sea and land
Gracious for me and you.

It takes vision. Who but a visionary
Would dare on a shop’s bare roof
To site a garden where hives are housed
To seethe with honey, where herbs are harvested ?
It takes bravura. Who but a pioneer
Would call forth colleagues whose bread, whose cheese
Friendly and fresh, smile so on shoppers,
Wooing the willing to delight in the different ?
It takes kindness. Who but a benefactor
Would share the gain of his green groceries
With the people who make his purpose plausible
—The kids and their kin of the whole community ?

This prize we celebrate makes clear
How ends and means are indivisible,
How it’s as true as it’s sincere :
His motto “Work Is Love Made Visible” !

Ode to the Turkey

The Eagle and the Nightingale
Both once went on a spree
By boasting to the Turkey they
Were better birds than he.

“I am the Sovereign of the Sky,”
The Eagle screamed. “However,
You waddle gormless on the ground.
Frankly, you’re hardly clever.”

The Nightingale trilled, “I’m the Poet’s
Muse, but as for you –
A tuneless gobble is the most,
Poor Turkey, you can do.”

The Turkey listened civilly
And then he made reply :
“You’re right, of course, dear colleagues. But
A different role play I.

“When Holidays come round and folk
Forgather East or West,
They serve ME up : I’m centre stage
As their most honoured guest.

“And they remember afterwards
What a good meal they had :
So succulent ! They smack their lips
In pleasure and are glad

“To thank their friendly Turkey. Therefore,
Birds, don’t be curmudgeons :
Tell hungry humans the best Turkeys
Flock to Thornton’s Budgens!”

To Our Resurrected Post-Office : Welcome Home !

It’s good to know our voices have been heard
And once more the typed or hand-written word
Will circulate from here : the little touch
Of personality which means so much
When stamped and mailed to its recipient
That I’ve performed a simple sacrament
By buying, licking, sticking a stamp on
The envelope that links us in communion.
Let greetings-cards henceforth proliferate
To show we’ve not forgotten any date
Our friends remember ! May “I Love You” stand
Boldly or bashfully in our own hand –
Sent from our own Post-Office back for ever
(Fight for it !) Frankly, I feared it would never
Return despite our protests. I was wrong :
My dirge transmutes to a triumphal song.
Defeat may well be noble. Victory’s better.
I think I’ll go off now and post a letter.

We’ve Got A Lovely Bunch Of Christmas Trees

We’ve got a lovely bunch of Christmas Trees
There they all are standing in a row
Tall ones, short ones, something for any room
Take one away to make your day
And dissipate all gloom

Everyone you love will love your Christmas Tree
We’ll be happy that you got it here
Old friends, young friends, new friends will gather round
Taking delight at the pretty sight
That you for them have found

You will remember your Budgens Christmas Tree
Even after Christmas has come and gone
You’ll recall the joy and the festive cheer
Returning to find a Tree of your kind
When Christmas comes next year !