In the streets of New York, where the pigeons are perchin’
Lives a boy with this business card: “Twig Jones, Street
Urchin.”
Twig Jones often says: “Though I don’t have a home
I am proud of my name and the streets that I roam
People think a street urchin should be sad and bleak
But I like the name urchin, ‘cause urchin’s unique.”
“Not true,” said a man. “Have you been to the sea?
There’s urchins there too. They’re small and spiny.”
“What’s that?” said the boy. “Other urchins exist?
Other things labeled ‘urchins’ are here in our midst?”
The man nodded and said, “At the beach, they’re a feature
Go there for yourself and you’ll meet the small creature.”
So the street urchin went to the beach and he found
A sea urchin, spiky and spiny and round
“You’re an urchin as well?” he inquired of the thing
“Indeed!” it replied. “And I’ve got quite a sting!”
Then Twiggy Jones screamed and dropped his sea-cousin
His hand throbbed with pain and his head was a-buzzin’
“Good grief!” he declared. “I shall not share a name
With a creature that causes such horrible pain!
And so, to avoid being lumped with that type
His new business card reads: “Twiggy Jones, Guttersnipe.”
His new business card reads: “Twiggy Jones, Guttersnipe.”
