A poem about the disparity between the Christmas culinary experiences of the wealthy and the poor in Victorian London.

Category

Christmas Poems

Sub-category

Poems about Christmas Traditions

Author

Christmas Fare

There has never been a good time to be poor
Certainly not Christmas
As Dickens wrote
“This time when want is keenly felt by the poor”
And there has never been a good place to be poor
Certainly not Victorian London
Now a wealthy Victorian family
Would dine upon a Christmas dinner
Of Vegetable soup
Oyster patties,
Roast turkey or goose,
Boiled leg of mutton with caper sauce
Followed by Port wine jelly,
Mince pies and plum pudding
Queen Victoria is known to have eaten roast swan
While in the country
A piece of smoked bacon
Or rabbit pie was had
The poor in town or country
Dined upon what ever could be found

Copyright © Paul Curtis. All Rights Reserved

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