Ain't He A Genius?

Lyrics

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  
  
[Chorus:]  
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  
  
[Chorus]  
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?