[xsl] Not a limerick

["Michael Kay" <michael.h.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As a change from the XML limerick competition going on over on xml-dev, I
thought I would try something more apposite to this list. With apologies to
T. S. Eliot, and the original, which if you don't know it can be found on
http://www.kirtland.cc.mi.us/honors/possums.htm. One has to find something
to while away an idle Friday afternoon...


I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jeni Tennidots;
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she lurks upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family's in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the newbies--
Their grammar's not good and their code's full of hubris;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting,
She teaches them grouping, and sorting, and flatt'ning.

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jeni Tennidots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the hard and buggy spots.
All day she lurks beside the screen with keyboard near and mouse and mat:
She writes and writes and writes and writes--and that's what makes a Gumbie
Cat!

But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
As she finds that the newbies will never keep quiet,
She is sure it is due to irregular diet;
And believing that nothing is done without stooping,
She sets right to work with her Muenchian grouping.
She makes them a mouse--cake of bread and old cheese,
And a beautiful fry-up of Wendell and Piez.

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jeni Tennidots;
Recursive code she likes to write, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She lurks upon the Mulberry-list, or anything that's busy as that:
She codes and codes and codes and codes--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
She thinks that the programmers just need employment
To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment.
So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,
A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts,
With a purpose in life and a good deed or three--
And so she's created EXSLT.

So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers--
On whom well-ordered stylesheets depend, it appears.

Michael Kay


 XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list