T'was the nite
before implementation and all through the house,
Not a program was working, not even a browse.
The programers hung by their tubes in despair,
With hopes that a miracle soon would be there.
The users were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of inquiries danced in their heads.
When out in the machine room there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Her resume glowed with experience so rare,
More rapid than eagles, her programs they came,
On Update! On Add! On Inquiry! On Delete!
Her eyes were glazed over, fingers nimble and lean,
A wink of her eye and a twitch of her head,
She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,
And laying her finger upon the "ENTER" key,
The updates updated; the deletes, they deleted;
She tested each whistle, and tested each bell,
The system was finished, the tests wre concluded,
And the user exclaimed with a snarl and a taunt,
-- source unknown
But a super programmer (with a six-pack of
She turned out great code with a bit-pusher's flair.
And she cursed and muttered and called them by name.
On Batch jobs! On Closings! On Functions Complete!
From weekends and nites in front of a screen.
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
Turning specs into code; then turned with a jerk.
The system came up and worked perfectly.
The inquiries inquired, and closings completed.
With nary a bomb, and all had gone well.
The users' last changes were even included.
"It's just what I asked for, but not what I want!"
Submitted By: Anonymous