Abby Zidle
Twas mere days before Christmas, and all through the house,
Not a sound could be heard but the click of a mouse.
The editors polished their pages with care
In hopes that bestseller news soon they could share.
They marked up their books using ink, using lead,
From first title page to the last running head,
They flagged all the queries their authors would see
(And fixed all misuses of "i before e").
Their authors had worked till their fingers were sore
To get the best book to each little bookstore.
To Borders! To Costco! To Target and Sam's!
To B&N, Walmart, to Ingram and BAM!
To the indies up north! To those east and west
And the south--to the libraries, all of the rest!
Fly, little books, like four calling birds flocking
Fast so the bookstores will soon be restocking!
So now it was up to the shoppers a-shopping
Our ears sought the sound of each credit card dropping
On shop counters groaning with wonderful books
With beautiful covers and heart-stopping hooks.
Though the fall had been dire, the news mostly bleak,
Our holiday sales period still had one week
To reveal that the book's a perennial fave.
(And an excellent gift when you're looking to save!)
My moral is plain, and should not be mistook--
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good book!
*the patron saint of writers and journalists
