Before my bark the waves have curled As it bore me thrice around the world; And for forty years have met my eyes The beauties born under wide-spread skies. But though far and long may be my track, It is never too far for looking back; And I see them, -- see them, over the sea, As I saw them when youth still dwelt with me, -- The brown-eyed girls of Jersey! They are Quakers, half, -- half maids of Spain; Half Yankees, with fiery Southern brain; They are English, French, -- they are Irish elves; They are better than all, in being themselves! They are coaxing things, -- then wild and coy; They are full of tears, -- full of mirth and joy. They madden the brain, like rich old wine: And no wonder at all if they've maddened mine, -- The brown-eyed girls of Jersey! Some day, when distant enough my track, To the Land of the Free I shall wander back; And if not too gray, both heart and hair, To win the regard of a thing so fair, -- I shall try the power of the blarney-stone In making some darling girl my own, -- Some darling girl, that still may be Keeping all her beauty and grace for me, -- Some brown-eyed girl of Jersey! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A DISCRETE LOVE POEM by JAMES GALVIN PEACE (2) by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON RECOMPENSE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON CHAMBER MUSIC: 9 by JAMES JOYCE OWL AGAINST ROBIN by SIDNEY LANIER DRAW THE SWORD, O REPUBLIC by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |