’Twas the night before Christmas, at the HOU company tower,
Not a worker was stirring in the late midnight hour.
The budgets were slashed with meticulous care,
In hopes that investors would soon cheer and share.
The engineers lingered, eyes glued to the floor,
While whispers of “restructuring” spread through each door.
When out from the penthouse there came such a clatter,
I peeked at the execs to see what was the matter.
There stood the CEO, with a gleam in his eye,
A chart in his hand and the stock price held high.
“Now Upstream! Now Downstream! Now Projects, hold tight!
On Exploration! On Research! Cut deep, but look bright!”
With a smirk and a nod, he surveyed the despair,
Signed off on the cuts without turning a hair.
Then sprang to his jet, off to meet with the board,
“Happy profits to all—and your promotions denied!”