`Twas the Night Before Christmas

Posted: December 1, 2018

‘Twas
The night before
Christmas
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring ‘cause the power
Was out. How can this happen?
What trouble could be? The house is all dark
Even the lights on the tree.
The lineman’s asleep all cozy and warm. His power apparently
was spared by the storm. Deep into slumber
But soon to awake ‘cause a tree on the line has caused it to break.
The calls swamp the office. “MY POWER IS OUT!
Get them here quickly, ‘cause I carry clout.” The dispatcher calls
And with a hint of despair, He informs the lineman the lines need repair.
In three or four hours the trouble is found.
You see the road didn’t pass where the tree went down. After walking through snow
And fighting the storm, the line is now clear and the power is on.
And now it’s morning. The kids shout with glee and their eyes shine as bright
As the lights on the tree. The lineman goes home now as tired as can be.
The storm just ignored it was his Christmas Eve.
He’s not asking for praise
Or for you to applaud,’ cause according to him it’s just part of the job.
But please just remember as you pick up the horn
And you call the office
He may be out in the storm.

This poem was published in the December 1979 issue of Country Living. It was written by Kevin Hughes, an engineering technical draftsman at Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative — New Concord, OH.