Mildew with a Luminous Thumb

(Apologies to Edward Lear)

There, through the vast and gloomy dark,
Moves what first seems a fiery spark,
A lonely spark with scarlet rays
Piercing the lounge at night, --
A Meteor strange and bright: --
Hither and thither the vision strays,
A single lurid light.

Slowly he wanders -- pauses -- creeps --
Anon he belches, then flashes and leaps;
And ever as onward it gleaming goes
A light on the close-up mat it throws.
And those who watch at that midnight hour
From the Magic Castle to Aspen's Tower,
Cry, as the wild light passes askew:

'Mildew! -- Mildew!
'The wandering magus who looks like a bum!
'Mildew! -- Mildew!
'Mildew with a Luminous Thumb!'

Fanning a deck while to patrons he speaks,
Deep in his close-up kit he seeks,
And because in the gloom he could not see,
He gathered a thumb tip and a battery
From a drug store freshly he'd come.
And he made him a wondrous Thumb.
A Thumb as strange as a Thumb could be!

Of vast proportions with a silver band
From duct tape made, held firm to his hand.
In a hollow rounded space it ended
With a luminous diode within suspended;
All fenced about with Saran Wrap stout
To prevent his drink from snuffing it out,
It shines its rays as 'twas intended.

'Mildew! -- Mildew!
'The wandering magus who looks like a bum!
'Mildew! -- Mildew!
'Mildew with a Luminous Thumb!'

And now each night, and all night thru,
Over those tables still roams Mildew;
And above the wail of Muzak and Juke
You'll hear his cards talk when they should be mute.
While ever he seeks, that coin (two-bit)
With the hinge, that he threw in his close-up kit.
Still it evades him despite his tribute.

Lonely and wild 'til the sunup has come,
Mildew with a luminous Thumb!