Ode to the Field Engineer

[Bob Bruhns]

ODE TO THE FIELD ENGINEER
by Timothy Barrett, Los Angeles, CA.

When the earth was created, the powers above
Gave each one a job, to work at and love.
He made doctors and lawyers and plumbers and then
He made carpenters, singers, and confidence men.
And when each had a job, to work as they should,
The Lord looked them over, and saw it was good.

But then, when He sat down to rest for a day,
A noise from a little-known group came his way.
>From on high He looked down, and his eyes opened wide,
For a motley collection of bums stood outside.
And the Lord asked the group, "What's the matter with you?"
"Oh, help us," they cried, "find a job for us, too."
"We have no profession," they said in dismay,
"And even the jailhouse has turned us away.
The Lord said, "I've seen many things without worth,
But here I find gathered the scum of the earth."

The Lord was perplexed, and then He got mad.
For of all of the jobs, there were none to be had.
Then He spoke with a voice full of deep, angry tone,
"For ever and ever ye mongrels shall roam.
Ye shall freeze in the summer and sweat when it's cold.
Ye shall work on equipment that's dirty and old.
Ye shall crawl in the dirt, in the dust shall you lay.
Ye shall be called out at midnight and work through the day.
Ye shall work on all holidays and not make your worth.
Ye shall be blamed for all downtime occurring on earth.
Ye shall surrender all glory to software and sales.
Ye shall be blamed by them both if the system then fails.
Ye shall have little money, just sorrow and tears.
Ye shall ever be cursed and called field engineers!"


   - Bob, WA3WDR