Civil service jingles and other things

We are a fine body of men, All truly good knights of the pen, For our knowledge and work Every permanent clerk,[1] Gets all of the credit “ye ken.”

You never hear about we, And the reason is clear as can be, If they take notice of us, There would be a fuss, For we’d have to get paid, don’t you see?

As it is, the Permanent Staff, In its sleeve has reason to laugh, For the poor Extra Clerk,[2] Does most of the work, [3] While considered merely riff-raff.

We never get drunk on our pay As “permanents” do, so they say, If we did we’d be sick, For they’d throw us out quick, And we’d lose our “so much” a day.

It pains us to hear the remarks Made by the Permanent Clerks,[4] About their low pay, And the Parliament’s way Of acting by Fitz and by sTarts. [5]

When you come to boil down the facts, Notwithstanding things in the Acts, Permanent Staff is too small Or is no good at all, Else why Extra Jimmies and Jacks.