It's fascinating to have those literal referances - such as the statue and the alley - but they aren't the end of the story.

Just because an expression has a literal reference doesn't mean that it can't have other meanings as well. That's the magic that words can achieve, and it's at the heart of poetry.

For the life of me I can't see why some people have a problem with the "Queen of Tarts" line. I think perhaps it's something to do with a feeling that it's out of tune with what is taken to be a sombre and solemn poem. But I don't think the poem is in fact like that, rather it's a wry and self-mocking poem, on one level, with a sense of fun and wordplay, and that line is an aspect of that. It helps keep the balance.