fitz@utastro.UUCP (Mike Fitzpatrick) (12/18/84)
This was originally posted last year by John Opalko but I thought it deserved
another posting considering the time of year and my state of mind.
I Shall Not Pass This Way Again
by Anonymous
And it came to pass.
Early in the morning toward the last day
of the semester,
There arose a great multitude smiting
the books and wailing.
And there was much weeping and
gnashing of teeth,
For the day of judgement was at hand
And they were sore afraid, for they had
left undone
Those things which they ought to have
done,
And there was no help for it.
And there were many abiding in the
dorms
Who had kept watch over their books by
night,
But it availed them naught.
But some there were who rose
peacefully,
For they had prepared themselves the
way
And made straight paths
of knowledge.
And these were known
As wise burners of the midnight oil.
And to others they were known as "curve
raisers."
And the multitude arose
And ate a hearty breakfast.
And they came unto the appointed place
And their hearts were heavy
And they had come to pass.
But some of them
Repented of their riotous living and
bemoaned their fate,
But they had not a prayer.
And at the last hour there came among
them
One known as the instructor; and they
feared exceedingly.
He was of diabolical smile,
And he passed papers among them and
went his way.
And many and varied
Were the answers given,
For some of his teachings had fallen
among fertile minds.
Others had fallen among the fallows,
While others had fallen flat.
And some there were who wrote for one
hour,
Others for two,
But some turned away sorrowful, and
many of these
Offered a little bull
In hopes of pacifying the instructor
And these were the ones who had not a
prayer.
And when they finished,
They gathered up their belongings
And went their way quietly, each in his
own direction,
And each vowing unto himself in this
manner:
"I shall not pass this way again."
--
" I don't know why we're Mike Fitzpatrick
here, I say we go home {ihnp4,noao,ctvax}!ut-sally!utastro!fitz (USENET)
and free associate" utastro!fitz@ut-ngp (ARPANET)