The things we don't write about: a cautionary tale

You may be that speechie, that one in a million,
You've accomplished what you had said
But it had better have been in that treatment plan
That's the way that we'll be PAID.

The people you serve, they admire your nerve,
How you hoist spirits up from the dead
Was it measurable though, what you did; - head to toe - ?
If not, we may not get PAID.

Let's get PAID, - keep the lights on and do stuff -
And when we get PAID, we can do the other good stuff!

We won't say what it is, but know it's all right
When the client needs something, you bring it to light
It's QUALITY, folks, just some extra delight
When they see it, we will get PAID.

We don't write about quality - what does it do?
You document progress in quantities, true - but,
The invisible human-scale cosmic glue; -
That's what, writ down, dooms our bein' PAID.

So "ten trials of X led to ten data points"
Like lining up empties in some swank beer joints
Though quality, meaning to data appoints;
Just that, means WE AREN'T GETTING PAID.