By Taylor Ramirez | Staff Writer

‘Twas the night before finals, when all through the campus

Every college student was studying, quiet as a mouse.

The semester’s quizzes had been graded with care

In hopes that an A would appear.

The students were nestled all snug in their notes

While visions of sleeping danced in dust motes,

And the librarian with her ‘kerchief and I with heavy lap

Had just settled in for research with a frappe.

Then out on the lawn there arose such a clatter

I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew with a dash

I unlocked my phone and set the camera to flash

The mood on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the luster of midday to objects below

When what to my blurry eyes should appear

A campus golf cart on its way here

With the driver so lively and quick

I knew in a moment it must be Dr. Keck.

More rapid than eagles his golf cart came

He whistled and shouted as he called out names,

“Now, FRESHMAN, Now, SOPHOMORES, Now, JUNIORS, and SENIORS

Now, TRANSFERS and GRAD STUDENTS!

To the top floor and to the top of class

Come on students, you can pass!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly

When he met with the automatic door and walked by

So inside McGee with snacks he flew,

With a sleigh full of highlighters and scantrons too

And then, in a twinkling, I heard him approach

As past my bedtime began to encroach.

I drew in my hand and was turning around

Down the stairs, Dr. Keck came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot

As we walked down the rows of books.

A bundle of goodies he had flung on his back

And he looked like a peddler opening his pack.

His eyes — How they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His job seemed to be a cheerer

And his balding head shined like a mirror

The stump of a candy cane he held tight in his teeth

And his Santa hat encircled his head like a wreath

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly

He was kind and caring, a right jolly president

And I smiled despite my college resentment.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Made me feel like for a second I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work.

He edited my essay then turned with a jerk

And laying his finger aside of his nose

And giving a nod, out of his chair he rose.

He sprang to his getaway; to us he gave a good luck whistle

And away he went like the down of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

“Happy finals to all, and to all a good night!”