Who would be a poor man
a beggerman, a thief
if he had a rich man in his hand.
Who would steal the candy
from a laughing baby's mouth
if he could take it from the money man.
Cross-eyed Mary
goes jumping in again.
She signs no contract
but she always plays the game.
Dines in Hampstead village
on expense accounted gruel,
and the jack knife barber
drops her off at school.
Laughing in the playground
gets no kicks from little boys:
would rather make it with a letching gray.
Or maybe her attention
is drawn by Aqualung,
who watches through the railings as they play.
Cross-eyed Mary
finds it hard to get along.
She's a poor man's rich girl
and she'll do it for a song.
She's a rich man's stealer
but her favour's good and strong:
She's the Robin Hood of Highgate
helps the poor man get along.