cross eyed mary

who would be a poor man, a beggarman, a thief --
if he had a rich man in his hand.
and 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 grey.
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 stealer
but her favour's good and strong
she's the robin hood of highgate
helps the poor man get along.