Polly Oliver's Problem

Polly Oliver was sure what she would serve him Hot and piping at end of the day The finest poison which was quick in a pie both rich and thick She was stewing in the words that she would say Oh have another, have another Go ahead and have a second or a third Sure 'tis good for heart and soul Go and have another bowl You know my dish is better than my word She had loved him on the first day that she met him On the second day she loved him just as well And on the third he was so bold as to offer all his gold Pretty Polly and the pirate hoisted sail Oh, the pirate loved her more for all her scolding Said another lass could never win his heart He would give her gold doubloons and a cask of silver spoons If she'd sail with him tomorrow for New York Chorus Oh, she surely was the toast of all the shipmates And they called her Pretty Polly all and one She was friend to Tom and Jack and the prisoner on the rack And she gave them each a kiss when day was done One stormy night the pirate said "my dearest Polly, I am hungry to my bucaneering bones" So she served him up a meal of the finest English eel And now he's lying down with Davy Jones Chorus Three pounds of eel were cleaned and cut and crosswise slicèd But undercooked in such a scheming heartless way What with the parsely and the butter one both following another Death crawled off his plate and stole his soul away Polly loved the pirate bold but please remember She loved Tom, and Jack, and riches, so we're told And when a lass says "I love you" make sure her love is true And that she's after you for love and not for gold! Chorus (CD recording repeats this chorus 3 times)