See the lady smiles as if to tell Her son remembers everyone, treats 'em all quite well He never asked for promises and now his fame is wide And everyone who knew him well shares a little pride Ain't he a genius, the boy's become a star And he smiles upon the faces who wish they could go far Not long ago, they criticized, the genius only wrote And now they listen spellbound with lumps caught in their throats His virtue was sheer poverty, his vice was reading plays While other children starved and fought, he learned just what to say Through tension and confession, he beat the monster down Then surfaced in society, no longer underground Ain't he a genius, the boy's become a star And he smiles upon the faces who wish they could go far Now they remember, talk only of his good While jealousy flows in their veins and says, "I wish I could." Ain't he a genius?