literature

Twas the night before finals

Deviation Actions

Atra-Sicarius's avatar
Published:
198 Views

Literature Text

Twas the night before finals, and all through the hall
Not a person was sleeping, no student at all.
The textbooks were stacked on the desktop with care,
In hopes that the answers would soon appear there.

The students were still wide awake in their beds,
While essays and formulae danced in their heads.
And I, wearing my PJs, textbooks in my lap,
Just can't settle my brain for a short little nap.

When out in the commons there arose such a clatter,
The RA ran out to see what was the matter.
Away to the hallway I ran in a rush,
Threw open my doorway to tell them to hush.

The moon glinting off of the res hall's glass door,
Shone just like a spotlight outside the first floor.
When, what to our wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature car, and a group of my peers.

With a slow-moving driver, so tired and sad,
I knew in a moment it must be a grad.
More rapid than e-mails, his study tips came,
And he shouted, and hollered, and called them by name.

"Use Spark Notes! Use Cliff Notes! Use 3 by 5 flash cards!
Write outlines! Read Chapters! It is gonna be hard!
In every classroom! In every hall!
Just write away! Write away! Write away all!"

As papers that folded into small airplanes fly,
When they meet with a warm air vent, mount to the sky.
So out to the commons the students they flew,
With heads full of questions, to learn what he knew.

And then, in a moment, I heard at the door,
The egress of all those who lived on my floor.
As I closed up my room, to the door I turned 'round,
Into the hallway, the grad came with a large bound

He was dressed in all sweats, from his head to his toe,
And he had the look of someone who's in the know.
A sack full of texts he had slung on his back,
And he looked like a student, lugging this big backpack.

His eyes looked so tired! His dimples weren't merry!
His cheeks had no color, it looked rather scary!
His humorless mouth was drawn tight as a bow,
And there were parts of his hair as white as the snow.

The stump of a pencil he held tight in his teeth,
And the worry lines circled his head like a wreath.
He had a gaunt face and a little thin belly,
And shook as he cried, like a bowlful of jelly.

He was haggard and bleak, a right dismal old self
And I cried when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A twitch of his eye and a hang of his head,
Soon proved to me that I had a lot to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And marked in his textbooks, then stood with a jerk.
And placing his bag once more on his back,
And giving a nod, walked away with his sack.

He ran to his car, to his group gave a whistle
And away they all leapt like they'd stepped on a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
"Study hard now you all, or this will be your plight!"
A spoof on 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' that came to me right before finals began. Feel free to spread this, but please credit me, Daniel Golaway, AND include a link to my deviant page (if reposted online). Thanks. Any other use of this material, whether for commercial or personal use, is hereby nixed without my written say-so. Got it? Cool!
Comments0
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In