The Collector

with audio by Jordon Hodges

Mr. Thurston Smith-Schuster McMumMum the Third

Collector of all of which you’ve ever heard

 

Forget baseball cards, stamps, and the Liberty Dime

He’d collected them all by the time he turned nine

 

He collects spiderwebs across old wooden rakes

(no two are the same, they’re just like snowflakes)

 

He collects signatures that look like chicken scratch

He collects old tube-socks…. but only if they don’t match

 

He collects Clydesdale horses that are named Buttercup

And spotlights from stages, he sweeps them right up

 

Horoscopes, but only Taurus and Aries

Hole-in-one golf balls and football Hail Marys

 

Peach pits and the shell part from your edamame

(They have value to him so don’t throw them away)

 

Ceiling tiles and various types of pond scum

Even threads off of sweaters and… eww… chewed up gum.

 

He collects collections, his total’s yet to be seen!

And pronouns from this story, he’s up to nineteen!

 

But poor Thurston’s been running low on ideas as of late

And if you could help him out that would really be great!

 

Come up with something brand new for the ol’ chap to collect

(Though he may already have it, I myself haven’t checked)

 

He has a shelf full of bowling balls and every single type of rimmed hat

He already collects snowman noses, so don’t suggest that

 

Whatever you pick, write it down then make a copy

Sign your name at the bottom (but make it kind of sloppy)

 

Somebody you know should have an idea where he can be found

So put the note in an envelope, then just ask around

 

Something to collect that he hasn’t yet, but should

And I can’t stress this enough… make sure that it’s good

 

Not simply postcards or flags that are unfurled

But perhaps rings off of Saturn or wonders of the world.