by Mike Mesterton-Gibbons

“Staffordshire dog Cheddar rescued from rabbit hole”
—BBC News

Hounds follow rabbits anywhere they roam
Although, inside a rabbit hole, the earth
Retards pursuit. So did a burrowed home
Ensnare a dog called Cheddar—did his girth
Block passage in and out? Or did this hound
Repose at will, quite still but not stuck fast,
Avoiding fire crews digging in the ground
In vain, for six whole hours, until at last
No hope remained that they would tunnel through?
Extraction having been ruled out, the crews
Departed, thinking Cheddar must have too …
Don’t underrate a hare-brained dog you lose
Outside your home. He needs a night away.
Give him a break. He’ll reappear next day!