Inside O.S - Poem

Sally Heavens [*]

I have been asked by Arndt -

To whom one daren't say 'Can't' -

To write a little rhyme

About that priv'leged time

When O.S. filled my life

With tears, and stress, and strife;

And that was just JC!

(I merely jest, says she ...)

But I have many sorry tales

Of bust and broken finger nails;

Staples from Hell stuck through each leaf

And, something else that gave me grief,

The author's name on every page -

Enough to make the Heavens rage;

Like sending just one copy through

When four were needed for review.

I wondered if some folk could read -

So rare, the academic breed ...

And of strange works we had our share;

Rude words, nude drawings, who would dare

Suggest an organizational link?

But still, I guess, it made one think.

Like on the day a paper came

Whose title sure bypassed my brain;

And John said, 'Let us find a clue -

I know! We'll send it for review ...'

And I remember well that time

An author rang to say 'It's fine,

I know JC, and so, you see

To help me with the RAE

Please hasten my submission through ...'

And never mind the others who

Could simply be leap-frogged, he thought.

I gently put him right, and sought

To send his paper out in turn;

He called me 'tough', but he would learn

Name-dropping is a sorry ploy;

Full marks for trying, though, old boy!

Then, some reviewers' grasp of time

Lay far beyond all reasoned rhyme;

Nine months? A year? Then, what was this?

A scribbled note (for emphasis?) -

'Apologies for being late' -

Just 18 months beyond the date!

But, if they sent a paper in,

These self-same folk would make a din

Should one week lapse during review -

'Do not to me what I would do ...'

Especially if the work is 'crap'!

Yes -- one review was sent right back

With that writ large across the page;

Constructive comments! All the rage ...

And one which really had my vote

Accompanied a heartfelt note:

'My comments are not full; but see,

It is your fault for asking me'.

But, every other month or so,

Another O.S. out would go

And, though my role was only small,

The pride I felt was overall

In being privileged to be

Part of the O.S. family.

(*.)Erstwhile O.S. Editorial Assistant

Sally Heavens

Having been nurtured for over four years in the 'broad church' tradition of Organization Studies, Sally Heavens (O.S. Editorial Assistant 1992-1996) is now ministering in another direction; studying for ordination in the Church of England. From org. studies to Bible studies -- you have been warned! She has maintained her links with the journal through her appointments as a Language Editor and Poet Laureate. Please get in touch, if you wish anything to be commemorated in her own distinctive style of doggerel! Her Masters degree in the grammar of political rhetoric means that she also has the facility to turn anything remotely sensible into convoluted gobbledygook - always highly grammatical, of course. Again, please advise if you would like assistance. Sally has also maintained her links with John Child (O.S. Editor-in-Chief 1992-1996), researching into organizational learning, and she is finding some interesting connections between these studies and matters theological!

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