The JC by Mike Frentz -- Mathcamp 2K Once upon a late night dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over quite a curious problem, trying hard to keep my head. While I nodded, nearly sleeping, quietly some soul came creeping Down the corridor and keeping me from getting to my bed. "'Tis some team member," I muttered, "keeping me out of my bed - Where's that problem set?" I said. Oh, distinctly I recall that it felt nothing like the fall (And since there were no college students, our large group was not well fed.) Our robin-colored meal tags seemed more to me like warning flags; In my opinion, service lagged behind (and made some folks feel dead.) We're supposed to be provided for, but do they keep their charges fed? "No! It's putrid!" most have said. But somebody still came creeping down the hall (while most were sleeping); I still had to do these problems, all involving x-y-zed. Quietly that soul came tapping at my door, a gentle rapping Which awakened me from napping as I tried to keep my head. "Who is that?" I wondered loudly as I tried to keep my head From thinking over x-y-zed. Open now I flung the doorway; there stood Brenda (not from Norway, But perhaps from Spain or Prussia, as some other folks have said.) There she stood, her wristwatch eyeing, on this hallway's campers spying, Keeping all the loud, high-flying people silent in their beds. She is not a European; rather, she pronounces "zed". There she stood, and this she said: "Sir, it's getting rather late, and most of us can't calculate When there is so much noise that we can't fall asleep in our own beds. I see you're working hard tonight - it's good to keep your mind so bright, But you won't feel that it was right if you can't keep a level head In the classes on the morrow," quoth the one who calls it zed. Quoth the JC, "Go to bed." "Wait a minute!" I protested. "This is time quite well invested - Compared to what I could be doing (picture it in your own head). Last night I rode a moving lift and gave the players quite nice gifts. The queen of spades - well, I was miffed, but twelve more hearts with color red? --Well, next morn I awakened bright and could keep a clear, straight head, So I've no need to go to bed." Then along the hall came Ari, saying to me, "Man, I'm sorry, But I think you need your rest now - you should sleep in your own bed." "I don't need to!" I exclaimed. "I still remember all your names! Let my spirit be untamed - let me be myself!" I said. "You won't feel that in the morning," quoth the JC with the dreads. Quoth the JCs, "Go to bed!" I now decided to relent, for (truth be told) my mind was spent From debating all the merits of retreating to my bed. Now I finally conceded that some rest was clearly needed, And the words of staff I heeded as I tried to clear my head -- Then suddenly I realized that x plus y plus one is zed - There! QED! and so, to bed.