some bright spark

gazed up one night

at the burgeoning stars

ignoring the planets of

venus and mars

      His thoughts went further afield

      that night

      never one to limit himself

      he schemed and dreamed

      that his future was bright

with a sweep of his hand

he conceived a plan

audacious and simple

and stunningly grand

      a thousand or more of the stars

      must be sold

      all gullible takers in the land of the free

      could participate in eternity

he set to work with

art and craft

while many said his plans were daft.

      To each of the heavenly bodies he gave

      a numbered certificate

      a celestial slave

      these could be hung on appropriate walls

      the owner's name in gilt thereupon

a choice of borders available

to match the earthly settings

 

everyone happy

the egos impressed

his celestial ideas put to the test

      without upsetting the greater cosmos

      and never one to limit himself

 

he then came swiftly down to earth

to invest the money in lettings.