Ode of a Beginner

I used to think I was advanced,
       in collecting pretty pieces of glass.
But when I saw McDougalds books on insulators,
       I realized I came in last.

Although I've been picking them up
       for nearly twenty years.
I found out my collection was junk,
        it almost brought me to tears.

Living on an island,
       in a small Alaskan town.
Makes it hard for collecting,
       when there's no railroad tracks around.

So I joined the N.I.A.,
       that maybe I might understand.
More about the hobby
       and and to make some new friends.

Along with Crown Jewels of the Wire,
       and ICON on the net.
I've met some real nice people,
        and haven't run into a bad one yet.

I headed down to Enumclaw Washington,
       where I attended my first show.
But there was so much to see,
       I didn't know which direction to go.

When I flew back to Alaska,
       my wallet felt pretty light.
My baggage was so heavy with insulators,
        they almost bumped it from the flight.

Now that I'm back home,
       and had a chance to play.
With all of my brand new treasures,
       I guess I have to say:

It was a lot of fun,
       and I'm sure I'll do it again.
I'll be at the next show,
       the guy with a big wide grin.

There's only one downfall,
       of this hobby I can see.
There's no Insulator Anonymous,
       to help people like me!

By: Dale Rose,
       Harvard, ID