London Types: 'Liza

By William Ernest Henley

'Liza's old man's perhaps a little shady,

'Liza's old woman's prone to booze and cring;

But 'Liza deems herself a perfect lady,

And proves it in her feathers and her fringe.

For 'Liza has a bloke her heart to cheer,

With pearlies and a barrer and a jack,

So all the vegetables of the year

Are duly represented on her back.

Her boots are sacrifices to her hats,

Which knock you speechless—like a load of bricks!

Her summer velvets dazzle Wanstead Flats,

And cost, at times, a good eighteen-and-six.

Withal, outside the gay and giddy whirl,

'Liza's a stupid, straight, hard-working girl.