Merry Christmas from FRM

T'was a week before Christmas, when all through FRM

Not a student was stirring, not even the Bangladesh men.

Our thesis topics had been sent to little Delft with care,

In hopes that our very own Biswa would allocate them there.

The students were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of published theses in peer-reviewed journals danced in their heads.

In cold Ljubljana, in more layers than Shristi were we wrapped,

We settled down for our evening siesta - or 'night-time nap'.

With a sense that, across Europe, academic keyboards had begun to clatter,

We sprang to our non-UNESCO laptops to see what was the matter.

Away to our IHE emails we went with only mild fears of horror.

Before closing our decent browser and opening Internet Explorer.

(Why, oh why does UNESCO email require the most outdated of browsers?

As comfortable to use as the Barca metro, in summer, in trousers).

And in my inbox, to my wonder, what should appear,

But a festive email from our Biswa, from whom we love to hear.

In the following email seconds later, this time remembering the attachment (!),

We nervously anticipated the thesis news we presume had been sent. 

With CC's flying before our eyes,

Biswa called the faithful lectures, who on our theses will advise.

"Now, Katya! Now, Bernhofer! Now, Leo and Dimitri!

On, Schalk! On, Allen! On, Vicente and Brilly!

We must inform our chosen thesis students - send out your call!
Now mail away, mail away, mail away all!"

With Biswa's rousing speech, we heard staff keyboards tinkle

"Oh, I hope for an Uncertainty-heavy topic" dreamt Nilay " - more than a sprinkle!"

But little could our dreaming minds truly know,

Which topic would, to our inboxes, flow!

We woke to the sound Patricia always hears and always likes:

Fiesta? Siesta? No, of course it was Skype.

"Hello student, your pal Biswa here:
The thesis! It's sorted! See you in the New Year!"

We spoke not a word, as we were over the moon.

The perfect thesis awarded - oh, February 10th, please come soon!

It may have felt a long, arduous and tricky road,

But Biswa had delivered, despite the vast workload.

And as we next lay our heads to enter for-once worry-free slumber,

I swear I heard Biswa, his words I could name to a number:

"Merry Thesis to all, I look forward to the wonders that you write.
And:

 Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night"

Photograph from Shristi

Poem by Clement Clark Moore/Richard Vause