London Street Scenes - 300 years apart

Here is one of my favourite lists:

A London Street Scene

Young Drunkards reeling, Bayliffs dogging,

Old Strumpets plying, Mumpers progging,

Fat Dray-men squabling, Chair-men ambling,

Oyster-Whores fighting, School-Boys scrambling,

Street Porters running, Rascals battling,

Pick-pockets crowding, Coaches rattling,

News bawling, Ballad-wenches singing,

Guns roaring, and the Church-Bells ringing...

By Edward Ward, 1707

I think Oyster-Whores fighting sounds very exciting, and I have a great mental picture of Fat Dray-men squabling.

Some images, like Young Drunkards reeling and Pick-pockets crowding, are still here in London 300 years after that was written, but the rest of the piece would need some updating.

A London Street Scene

Police cars screaming, toddlers shouting,

Old cars rattling, neighbours yelling,

Teenagers blinging, foxes slinking,

Housewives sweeping, postmen flinging,

Litter blowing, buses stopping,

Nail bars preening, shop staff yawning,

Phones singing all damn morning.

By The List Writer, 2007