Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Jerseywocky

Jerseywocky

Jerseywocky
(Paul Kieffer)

'Twas Bergen and the Erie road
Did Mahwah into Paterson;
All Jersey were the Ocean Groves
And the Red Bank Bayonne.

"Beware the Hopatcong, my son!
The teeth that bite! The nails that claw!
Beware the Bound Brook bird, and shun
The Kearney Communipaw!"

He took his Belmar blade in hand,
Long time the Folsom foe he sought,
Till rested he by a Bayway tree
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in Nutley thought he stood,
The Hopatcong, with eyes of flame,
Came Whippany through the Englewood
And Garfield as it came.

One two! one two! and through and through
The Belmar blade went Hackensack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went Weehawken back.

"And hast though slain the Hopatcong?
Come to my arms, my Perth Amboy!
Hohokus day! Soho! Rahway!"
He Caldwell in his joy.

'Twas Bergen and the Erie road
Did Mahwah into Paterson;
All Jersey were the Ocean Groves
And the Red Bank Bayonne.

Note: Reportedly, this was set to music and sung at New York's
Century Club in the 50s or 60s; the tune has been lost. The
words, however, like Lewis Carrol's original, sing well to
Beethoven's Ode to Joy. Or, for that matter, Deutschland Uber
Alles, or Men of Harlech.

RG