I thought I'd start this thread because I get a lot out of such things. Lets see if anyone else does also.

The Diplomatic Platypus (not the whole poem)

I had a duck-billed platypus when I was up at Trinity
With whom I soon discovered a remarkable affinity
He used to live in lodgings with myself and Arthur Purvis
And we all went up together for the Diplomatic Service.

I had a certain confidence, I own, in his ability
He mastered all his subjects with remarkable facility
And Purvis, though more dubious, agreed that he was clever
But no-one else imagined he had any chance whatever.

I failed to pass the interview! The board, with wry grimaces
Objected to my boots, and took exception to my braces.
And Purvis too was failed by an intolerant examiner,
Who said he had his doubts as to his sock-suspenders stamina

This summary rejection, though we took it with urbanity.
Was naturally wounding in some measure to our vanity
The bitterness of failure was considerably mollified,
However, by the ease with which our platypus had qualified.