All the satellites and all the stars
Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars;
All the female host of heaven
To the Jerseys, names have given;
All earthly titled names of men
All names of beauteous women;
All have contributed their share
To name the Jerseys everywhere;
English, French, Italian, Greek,
Simple, homely, grand or meek,
Names ungodly, names inhuman,
Names of neither men nor women;
Names of saint and name of devil
Names of virtue, names of evil;
Names of sense and names of beauty,
Worst of names, a bounden duty;
Names poetic, names harmonious,
Names exotic, names inglorious;
Thus are Jerseys linked to names
Uglier far than bedlam dames;
Lovelier than gazelle-eyed elves
With names as beauteous as themselves;
There's power in beauty, skill in game
And marvellous magic in a name.
Jersey Express 12/2/1885
Reprinted JEP 23/1/1976
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