Sexual intercourse began in 1963

(Which was rather late for me) – 

Between the end of the Chatterley ban 

And the Beatles’ first LP. 



Up to then there’d only been 

A sort of bargaining, 

A wrangle for the ring, 

A shame that started at sixteen 

And spread to everything. 



Then all at once the quarrel sank: 

Everyone felt the same, 

And every life became 

A brilliant breaking of the bank, 

A quite unlosable game. 



So life was never better than 

In nineteen sixty-three 

(Though just too late for me) – 

Between the end of the Chatterley ban 

And the Beatles’ first LP.