"Too many people in the modern world view poetry as a luxury, not a necessity like petrol. But to me it's the oil of life"

John Betjeman's quote talks to the importance of poetry in our lives. He suggests that verse is not a deluxe, yet a necessity, much like gasoline. He thinks that verse is the oil of life, offering us with the fuel we require to keep going. He is saying that verse is vital for our mental as well as emotional wellbeing, which it should be valued and appreciated similarly that we value gasoline. He is urging us to acknowledge the power of poetry as well as to make it a part of our daily lives. He thinks that poetry can aid us to understand our lives, to reveal our feelings, and also to connect with others. He is advising us that verse is not simply a luxury, but a need, and that it must be given the very same significance as petrol.