Social Commentaries
The Saracen's Head
From Wine, Water and Song (1915)
"The Saracen's Head" looks down the lane,
Where we shall never drink wine again,
For the wicked old women who feel well-bred
Have turned to a tea-shop "The Saracen's Head."
"The Saracen's Head" out of Araby came,
King Richard riding in arms like flame,
And where he established his folk to be fed
He set up a spear--and the Saracen's Head.
But "The Saracen's Head" outlived the Kings,
It thought and it thought of most horrible things,
Of Health and of Soap and of Standard Bread,
And of Saracen drinks at "The Saracen's Head."
So "The Saracen's Head" fulfils its name,
They drink no wine--a ridiculous game--
And I shall wonder until I'm dead,
How it ever came into the Saracen's Head.
Codex Note
An old inn, the Saracen's Head, has been turned into a tea-shop by 'wicked old women who feel well-bred'. The poet will wonder until he dies how it came to this.
Cite this poem
MLA
Chesterton, G. K. “The Saracen's Head.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/chesterton/37/.
Chicago
Chesterton, G. K. “The Saracen's Head.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/chesterton/37/.
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