Twas the Day Before Winter Break

By Rebecca Hoffman and Jocelyn Rish
This poem was inspired by the holiday classic, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

‘Twas the day before Winter Break, when all through the school
The children were fidgeting, while trying to act cool;
The books were stacked in the Reading Center with care,
In hopes that eager students soon would be there;

The tutors were nestled all snug in their chairs,
Site words and vocab, each volunteer prepares;
And I in my lanyard with schedules to make,
Look forward to taking a long winter’s break,

When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the desk to see what was the matter.
Away to the door I flew like a flash,
Peeped through the window and fogged up the glass.

Fluorescent lights gleamed on freshly waxed floors,
Giving a luster I’d never seen before,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But tiny young readers that I hold so dear,

Their earnest young minds are so lively and quick,
And their reading scores are starting to uptick.
Quicker than mice and in a line they all came,
Whispering with excitement Reading Partners’ names,

“Now, Katie! now, Cierra! now, site coordinators!
On, Jourdan! On Abby! on, Lucas and tutors!
To the top of the school! to the top of the class!
Now read away! read away! read away fast!”

And then, many giggles, I hear in the hall
The jumping and dancing, I’ve seen them all fall.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
In through the door, my students came with a bound.

They were dressed all in style, from their heads to their feet,
And their faces are cheerful, ready to read;
A bundle of books they had flung on their backs,
And they each looked so eager just opening their packs.

Their eyes — how they twinkled! their dimples how merry!
Their cheeks were so rosy, noses running like crazy!
Some of their faces were turned up in a scrunch,
And each little mouth still had remains of their lunch;

They spoke sweet words, then went straight to their work,
They filled all the desks; and picked up their books,
And when the session was done and finished just so,
They each give a wave, down the hallway they go;

They spring to the bus, to their friends give a holler,
And away they all flew thinking thoughts of tomorrow.
But I heard them exclaim, as they drove out of sight,
Season’s Readings to all, and to all a good night!