And _I_ ain't no softy, neither, bet your buttons. That don't pay,
For you're 'bliged to keep yer eyes peeled and to twig the time o' day;
But I've got a mash on flowers; they are better than four 'arf,
Them red blazers in my winder; so let NOCKY 'ave his larf!

NOCKY tells me that the Westry means a-clearin' hout our place
For to make a bit o' garding, wot they calls a Hopen Space,
O _I_ know the sort o' fakement, gravel walks, a patch o' grass,
And a sprinkle of young lime-trees of yer Thames Embankment class.

Some bloke spots the place as likely, and praps buys it on the cheap,
(Spekylators keeps _their_ lids hup though the parish nobs may sleep,)
Pooty soon the pot's a-bilin' about Hopen Spaces. Yus!
And the chap as bought the bit o' ground is fust to raise the fuss.

Recreation for the People, Hopen Playgrounds for the Young!
That's the patter of the platformers; and don't they jest give tongue!
Well, it's opened with a flourish, and there's everyone content;
Pertiklerly the landlords round as nobbles better rent.

But _I_ don't object to gardings, not a'mossel--t'other quite;
As I've said, a bit of green stuff and a flower is my delight;
I wish London wos _more_ hopen, and more greener, and more gay;
Only people down our Court has got to _live_ as well as _play_.

If they clears out the arf acre where we huddles orful close,
We must all turn out, that's certain; where we'll turn to, goodness knows;
And it won't be werry spashus, the new "Park" won't, arter all,
With the graveyard railinks one side, and on t'other a blank wall.

Wot we want is decent 'ouses, at a rent as doesn't take
'Arf a cove's poor screw to pay it. That _'a_ the present landlord's fake!
If they only knowed 'ow 'ard it is to meet "Saint Monday" square,
When yer ealth is werry middlin', and the jobs is werry rare!

P'raps them Dooks, and Earls, and Marquiges, and Kernels, wot they states
Has just clubbed theirselves together to keep down the bloomin' Rates,
And to smash the Kounty Kouncil, as they've bunnicked the Skool Board,
Jest a few of their hodd moments to _our_ naybrood might afford.

They _must_ 'ave a feelink 'art towards the poor, and no mistake,
Or they wouldn't take sech trouble for the poor Ratepayers' sake,
NOCKY SPRIGGENS sez it 'minds 'im of a League of Loving Cats
To purtect from traps and pizen the poor mice and starvin' rats.

Jest like NOCKY's