Step into the heart of old London with this one-of-a-kind collection of Cockney poems that celebrates the grit, charm, and rhythm of the East End. From foggy foot tunnels to Sunday roasts in Bethnal Green, from jellied eel stalls to knees-ups in smoky boozers, this book captures the stories and spirit of generations gone by—in rhyme as rich as the patter down Petticoat Lane.
Cockney Poems From The East End Of London
isn't just a book—it's a living memory of markets, music halls, rag-and-bone men, boxing gyms, and barrow boys. It pays tribute to the Pearly Kings and Queens, the sounds of Bow Bells, and the working-class heroes who shaped the streets with laughter, grit, and no-nonsense pride. Laced with authentic Cockney rhyming slang and brimming with East End character, these poems bring to life the sights, smells, and voices of London's most iconic neighbourhood. You'll hear the clatter of hoofs on cobbles, the banter of the fishmonger, and the chorus of a pub singalong on a Friday night. Whether you were born within the sound of Bow Bells or just carry a soft spot for the old London town, this collection will make you smile, tear up, and raise a glass to the way things were—and the spirit that still remains.
These poems aren't just verses—they're time machines, crafted with the warmth of an East End cuppa and the bite of a sharp tongue. Each line is soaked in nostalgia, painted in the colours of coal smoke and vinegar, and strung together with the rhythm of a London walk—fast, firm, and full of character. You'll meet old boys tendin' their allotments, kids skippin' ropes in bombsite alleys, cheeky traders down Chapel Street, and Pearly Kings struttin' proud through Petticoat Lane. There's laughter, loss, loyalty, and life in every stanza—the clink of pint glasses, the creak of tram wheels, and the murmur of ghost stories told under gaslight.
is also a love letter to a way of life that's slowly slipping away—a world of front step chats, barrow banter, paper bags full of sweets, and working men's clubs filled with song and smoke. But through these poems, that world lives on, as cheeky, proud, and resilient as ever. For lifelong Londoners, this book is like bumping into an old mate down the Roman Road. For newcomers, it's a crash course in Cockney culture—bold, brassy, and bursting with soul. So if your heart beats a little faster when you hear a bit of rhyming slang, if the sound of a market trader's call makes you smile, and if the East End means more than just a postcode—then these poems were written for you.