A Holiday Poem from ARC

As I dozed in my bed getting some much-needed rest
Something occurred that I could never have guessed.
I dreamt I was in the warehouse, it was early XMAS eve.
That’s when I saw something I just could not believe.
There was a flurry of movement in the rows of bookshelves
And as I crept closer I saw a small group of elves
They paid me no mind, not a glance nor a look
As they sat on the floor, all were reading a book
And there were eight tiny reindeer tied at the end of the rows
With another beside them who had a shiny red nose
And off to my right if my eyes weren’t deceiving
Was a sleigh full of toys on the dock in Receiving
As I snuck to my desk I saw in the rows by 2 Yellow
Dressed all in fur, it was that jolly old fellow
He smiled at me, said “Merry XMAS, Rick”
I returned the smile and replied “Right back atcha Saint Nick”
Then he said to his elves “That’s enough for tonight”
“We must be leaving, we must now take flight”
“Rick, please thank all the employees for the work that they’ve done.
They’ve performed it with style, dedication and fun.
Among all reading companies, you folks are the leaders.
You’ve turned all of my elves into fabulous readers.
But now we must leave, we must go right this minute”.
So they ran to their sleigh and they all piled in it.
As they flew off the dock and the sleigh turned around
A single sheet of paper fluttered down to the ground
Then they were gone in an instant with a nod of his head
And the next thing I knew I awoke in my bed.

As I walked towards the warehouse today through the moonlit haze
I thought “If I tell someone my dream they’ll think that I’m crazed”.
But as I came up the path in the new morning fog
I saw a sheet of paper printed “MY READING LOG”
When I looked at it closer I just laughed to myself
Because printed on top was the name “XMAS ELF”.
But the rest of the log was what caused me to pause
It was signed on each line “Reading Coach, Santa Claus”

Now I don’t really know if my dream was real
All I can relate is how it made me feel
It brought back memories of those times in my youth
When I believed more in magic than I did in the truth
But whether in life we ever see elves
The important thing is how we believe in ourselves.
For we can all perform magic, we do it each day
In the work that we do and the things that we say.
Just think when you sit in your times of reflection
Of the lives that we’ve pointed in a brand new direction.
We’ve met all the deadlines customers were demandin’
In Baltimore, Oxford, Brevard and in Camden.
We are changing the face of today’s education
In a company that now has Woman Owned Business certification.
So let’s make a vow on this day in December
To make 2010 a year to remember
We will change the world, we will make it better
But we can’t do it alone we must all work together
Because a tree grows from a seed when it fulfills its ambition
But a forest flourishes with trees when they unite in their mission
So let’s give it our all and go to any lengths
To show that diversity is just one of our strengths
Now in closing, I again offer my holiday greeting
“HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and to all HAPPY READING”

Rick Michael