One Saturday morning in Berea
I was surrounded by a gang.
I let go, let them have their way.
After they had emptied my pockets
they seemed uncertain what to do.
Suddenly they all broke into smiles.
'Shame boss! ' said the leader, who
had my wallet in his hand.
He took five rand out of it
and stuffed it into my shirt.
They went off shouting with laughter.
Another time I was thrown on the pavement.
I fought back and got through a door
into the Carlton Centre shopping mall.
People bustled round me...
Shaking with humiliation and relief
I checked the pockets of my coat
and found every one had been slit.
John Garth Raubenheimer
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/merciful-muggers/
