Runbooks are written for the worst possible reader: tired, at night, slightly panicked. That is the audience. The Runbook Gets a Poem is a small rebellion in favor of a document people actually like opening, where the steps are short, the commands can be pasted and the title says exactly which failure it handles.

Test every runbook by handing it to someone who did not write it. Put the check that confirms success at the end of each step, and record what it cost when someone got it wrong. A little warmth does not hurt, as long as the commands are right.