Sweet Polly Oliver

Sweet Polly Oliver's love left her behind
On the King's mining asteroids good platinum to find
Geologic surveys she must undertake
But sweet Polly pined for her true love far away

"Oh Mother, oh Father, please let me go," she pled
But hydroponics don't maintain themselves, they said.
So sweet Polly snuck into the root cellar stores
And stowed away on a supply ship with a bag full of spores.

The overseer saw she had not been ordered there
But the mining colonies had no food to spare
So Polly grew fungus and searched up and down
For any sign of her true love in Platinum Town

The town had grown sick and yet no-one knew why
Hair fell out and skin scaled, when they went out to the sky
But those who came to Polly soon gained back their health
And vitamin-rich mushrooms became her plat'num wealth

One day a young woman came into Polly's farm
Her old scars were bleeding, and bruises on her arm
Polly scarce recognized her true love so weak
But fed her tender mushrooms until she could speak

"My sweet Polly Oliver, you came to find me here
Far away from your home and from your mother dear.
Into the unknown with no plan you did fly
But without you this colony had been doomed to die."

Then sweet Polly Oliver, she burst into tears
And she told her true love her hopes and her fears.
At their wedding the overseer with the King's Badge did crown
The geologist and the pharmacist, heroes of Platinum Town.