6 of 30, 2016

Burlingtonsnuffle, The Barrister Hamster

from Thom's Miscellany of Rodents, Lagomorphs, & Sundry

"And who now shall stand in this fellow's defence?"
Asks the Judge, and the gallery waits for the answer.
After pausing to make things a little more tense
Enters BURLINGTONSNUFFLE, the Barrister Hamster.

The Judge tries abjectly to maintain decorum;
Her Majesty's Counsel sputters in disbelief.
THe bloke in the dock who thought no one was for him
Sends Heavenward thanks for this sudden relief.

For Burlingtonsnuffle's a litigant star:
It's well-known he was first in his class back at Eton,
At the age of nine months he just passed the Bar,
And since then this hamster has never been beaten.

He's a tiny brown briefcase of Cordovan leather,
A size point-five suit besoken in tweed.
All that remains to be seen now is whether
His faithful assistant has found what he needs.

Was there even a trace of things exculpatory?
Now Burlingtonsnuffle draws upright and squeaks,
"M'Lord, I believe this quite closes the story,"
And produces the evidence straight from his cheeks!

The Court is agog, and Justice is served.
Strike up the band, with a step and a ruffle!
Huzzah for this vermin with panache and verve--
The barrister hamster, BURLINGTONSNUFFLE.

from a prompt by Esther Friesner