Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The Mugger


THREE WORD WEDNESDAY
http://www.threewordwednesday.com/
bait. victim. jump.

THE MUGGER

The old bird took my bait.
'You've got a kind face, dear.'
It's no good looking at your victim
With a vicious sort of leer.
You've got to butter them up a bit,
Get smarmy, as it were.
And I could see my opening line
Had gone down well with her.
She was standing on the platform,
Alone and isolated,
Just the sort of well-heeled dame
That I've always hated.
They're the ones who hope to look
Kind and sympathetic,
Yet you know they just don't give a damn;
The whole thing is synthetic.
'You look just like my Mum' I said.
This made her give a glance.
I always enjoy this part of it;
It's rather like a dance.
'Do I?' she said. (It was a start)
'I bet you've got a son.'
Now she was really relaxing
And I was having fun.
'As a matter of fact, I have' she said
'About the same age as you'.
I decided to look crestfallen;
It's what I often do.
'Let me give you some money for a feed'
It was going really well.
You get a sixth sense about these things.
I can always tell.
It was then she opened up her bag;
The purse was nicely plump,
So I decided to show my cards
and
JUMP!
*
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 COMPASSION      

(An Acrostic)

Caring for those we come across.
Offering sympathy where there's loss.
Murmuring words of soft compassion.
Pressing a hand in a friendly fashion.
Asking a question that's just right.
Sensing the pain of another's plight.
Sympathy? No it's so much more;
It's caring for the weak and poor;
Outsiders deserve compassion too;
Need to be helped. They're needing You.
*

8 comments:

Lori R. said...

I love reading your work. The Mugger, just a little eerie. It kind of made the hair stand up on the back of my neck!
But the Compassion, settled me right back down. I loved it! Hmmm... what a combo of emotions...

Thom Gabrukiewicz said...

Your poem is an interesting look at a crime of convenience.

gautami tripathy said...

A vey enjoyable read.

like an automata

Vinay Leo R. said...

yes, we do seem to have gone on similar roads this week.. a good poem..

RAJI MUTHUKRISHNAN said...

.You have got so well the vicious character of the mugger, and in verse, too. Brilliant.

Stan Ski said...

'smarmy' - great word; says it all.

Dee Martin said...

what a combination this week - the mugger and compassion! Loved them both :)

Thomma Lyn said...

Fascinating take on the prompt -- good job!