THE MERM CHRISTMAS STORY
‘Tis the week
before Christmas and all through the park
Not a creature is stirring. It’s gotten too dark.
The trees are all leafless, and the
Ramble is bare
Run up
Bethesda is turned off, a toilet your
wish?
If you must hydrate? Go elsewhere to
piss.
No 5Ks, or 10, no ultras or halves
No sane person is out there, you’d have
to be daft.
Neither rain nor sleet you may well
have guessed
No sun or moon shines on Drive east or
west
No taxis or cycles if it’s lightning or
snow
Yet a Merm will be out there, perhaps
even two.
Onto Delecourt Oval there comes such a
clatter,
A wave of deep purple arrives with much
chatter.
Lead on by our trainer, our coach,
Julie’s spouse,
Neil prods, and he pushes, though we
constantly grouse.
More rapid than eagles his students
they came
And he whistles and shouts and calls us
by name.
‘No stopping, no walking, or are you
asleep?
More butt kicks, and fartlicks, pick up
your damn feet
Skip up the West hillside, lope up to
Cat Hill!
Hands under your armpits and quack like
a duck?
Why should we do this, whatever the
fuck!
Move it Shirley & Joan, Ilene &
Roberta
What happened to Kathy & Barbra,
& oh & who is Ina?
Faster Karen, both Susans, both Judy’s
& Jun
Cindy’s lost once again; will she find
us quite soon?
Please stop dragging your feet, Elyse,
Patti, Louise
You must try to keep up with the pace
if you please?
Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer
& Vixen
There goes Susan R & O’Dell aha
Linda Dixon
Our Joanie made news in the Times
science section
She is either bionic or caused by
natural selection
To Ms. Moffat, Ms. Worth and even Ms.
Leonard,
If being a Merm is still your decision
Keep aging and aging, you’ll success at
your mission.
Alexa, & Kim & Jane all are
missin!
On Comet, On Cupid, on Donner &
Blitzen
(Wait that’s the wrong poem)
Welcome back to our Pat from the world
there at large
Was it worth leaving the city and being
in charge?
Does your sense of direction need a
course correction?
You must reminder…Erin isles to the
NORTH… the Keys are still SOUTH
Aussies lean to the LEFT… and the
French are always RIGHT!
So MERMS come in all sizes, all shapes
you can bet
Merms only requirement is your age and
the sweats
The group is eclectic, oddly strange
and diverse
We’re all in the same boat for better
or worse.
So with love and affection I present
this small bit.
Yet if you dislike it, I say tough
shit!
To all of the Merms, our friends and our
loved ones
May the season bring health, great joy,
& swift runs
Whether we all get together or oft out
of sight
We wish Seasons Greetings to all and to
all a good night.
Laurie
Iselin
December 3, 2006 Back