This poem is written from an actual court room happening that I have personal knowledge of. Chester was a very close relative.

The Judge Said

Chester is it? Haven’t I seen you here defending some one,
Yes your honor, there was a case, you might remember that I’ve done,

Roanoke Rosie was the defendant as you might recall,
Charged with being a drunk disturbance at the Fireman’s Ball,

As a part time lawyer, my argument was the best,
I proved beyond the smallest doubt , there was no arrest,

This Court had no excuses, I knew their charge would fail,
On that day of the Fireman’s Ball , Rosie was in Jail,

She spends a lotta time there, I saw her yesterday,
She was locked up next to me, I am sad to say,

You heard I was the alleged drunk with charges filed on me,
Yes I plead guilty of the charge, but there’s reasons don’t you see,

I’m a small contractor, lawyer business is pretty lax,
I took this War bride’s building job to pay my income tax,

I don’t want to dwell on that, it’s five years overdue,
They ain’t set a date yet, but I might be seeing you,

Getting Back, it was a chicken house, to build in her back yard,
One of those no permit jobs, it didn’t look too hard,

She wanted the old one taken apart but wished to realize ,
And save all for the new house that I could utilize,

Now I agree on the frugal measure, to get her hen house done,
But her Master plan had one big hole and it was a giant one,

I surveyed every engineering skill, but I couldn’t reach her goal,
She wanted her new house built and painted , before I wrecked the old,

Your honor ,Just imagine your self, I couldn’t even think ,
I just reached for Old Glory and had too much to drink,

Judge replied, I sympathize , I need to call recess,
There are a number of issues , that I must address,

I’ll retire to my chambers to consider your defense,
And Mister Prosecutor, bring along, That Bottle of Evidence.

© 2020 Tom Leftwich