Down On Her Luck
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
United Kingdom
December 18, 2015 3:56pm CST
She's huddled in the café
The world is passing by,
Once she had been beautiful
Oh time, where did you fly?
She's sitting by the window
Wonder what her story is,
Grimy nails and tousled hair
How did she come to this?
With hands around her coffee
She makes that coffee last,
In scruffy clothes and scruffy hat,
What's happened in her past?
She has a little mongrel,
The café owner's kind
He brings leftovers for the dog,
And soup for her he'll find.
The dog looks fit and healthy
Much more so than she,
She thinks the sun shines out of him
As he sits by her knee.
She leaves her café corner
She's not a pretty sight,
Trudging up the sidewalk
Where will she spend the night?
As she goes into the distance
I wonder how she'll end,
The little dog trots by her side
At least she has a friend.
Original poem by Jabo
45 people like this
40 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
18 Dec 15
Well I suppose this makes a change
From Limericks every day
But now I will have to arrange
The lines in a different way
I have tried my best but sadly
This is no extravaganza
It has turned out rather badly
So this will be my final stanza
10 people like this
!! ( Did you know I could be serious?)@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
18 Dec 15
@jaboUK
This format is quite strange to me
Because different rules apply
But rather than just let it be
I shall persevere and try
I do know I need some practice
And better rhymes are what you’re craving
But nevertheless the fact is
I cannot sit here behaving
9 people like this
@allknowing (136422)
• India
18 Dec 15
That dog hardly knows what its owner goes through day in and day out. Well written as usual.
3 people like this
@allknowing (136422)
• India
19 Dec 15
@jaboUK Just as well else the poor dog would be miserable.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 15
@allknowing The dog knows that he is loved, and that is enough.
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
19 Dec 15
As tempting as it is join the rhyme athon I will just say what a lovely poem of love and loyalty.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 15
@BelleStarr Thanks Isabelle, I was being serious here, but Asylum had other ideas!
1 person likes this
@Missmwngi (12915)
• Nairobi, Kenya
18 Dec 15
I wish santa will come by
And open the door for her
To sleep for the night
But then again what about tomorrow
I hope she finds more friends
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 15
@Missmwngi There are too many people suffering like this woman, it would be great if there were a magic wand to make everything right for them.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166970)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Dec 15
That was great! Even wondered how it would end.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
18 Dec 15
@celticeagle Who knows how the homeless will end up? We can only hope for the best for them.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
19 Dec 15
I have seen many old women and men like this.
Many of them like to gather together, and at least, they have companionship.
I think sooner or later we will become one of them, and find other old people to drink coffee and to complain about the attitude of young people.
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23672)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
20 Dec 15
Don't forget--Santa will find her and the dog wherever they are-without regret---near or far!! (That's the closest I can get to rhyming!!)
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Dec 15
@GreatMartin Thanks Martin - not a bad attempt at a rhyme
thank you. I'm afraid these kind of people are off Santa's radar
thank you. I'm afraid these kind of people are off Santa's radar1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23672)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
20 Dec 15
@jaboUK Not really--many of his elves here go out looking for them!!
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
19 Dec 15
You must have followed her for a while to get such a good shot of her dog, 
Great poem as always, Janet.
Great poem as always, Janet.1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 15
@MarshaMusselman That's a Pixabay picture Marsha - the closest I could get to what her dog looked like. I did credit it but it doesn't seem to show up.
Thanks for liking the poem.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 15
@MarshaMusselman I've read that it's unnecessary to credit photos here, but I always do it anyway. As you say, the way to make sure it gets noticed is to mention it in the post.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
19 Dec 15
@jaboUK I actually did realize it wasn't a picture of the actual dog. I wonder if the image credit is there so that if there's a problem Alex can look at that since it doesn't show up on the page itself. I think in order for it to do that, we need to mention it right on the discussion itself and it doesn't seem to be a need here like it is most places.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
While I absolutely love your limericks I do think you undersell your serious side. As well as having the ability to make me laugh you can also bring a lump to my throat. There aren't many who have the ability to move people both ways!!
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
22 Dec 15
@jaboUK Sling one in? There you go, underselling yourself. Did Michelangelo just slap some paint on the ceiling? Did Einstein just jot down some numbers on a piece of paper. Did Beethoven just randomly hit keys until something vaguely tuneful popped out???
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
27 Dec 15
aww wow that was amazing. You obviously have talent!
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
27 Dec 15
@VivaLaDani13 How kind of you to say that, thank you so much.
2 people like this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
27 Dec 15
@jaboUK I used to write a lot but haven't in a very long time due to lack of motivation and inspiration. I do miss it a lot though. Reading stories, lyrics and poems like yours really makes me miss it.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
22 Dec 15
Beautiful poem. It is sad but also inspiring. She is homeless but she has a true friend in the dog and at least the cafe owner is kind to them both. Now is this poem inspired by a real person and a true situation?
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Dec 15
@Shellyann36 Yes it's based on a woman I saw in the exact situation I've described here. It was some time ago, but I couldn't get the thought of her out of my head.
@simone10 (54187)
• Louisville, Kentucky
21 Dec 15
That is so sad but so true. So many people judge people like her but we don't know what her life has been and what she has gone through. My heart goes out to people like her and I would like to think that if I had the money and saw her in a cafe, I would buy her a good meal...and her dog too.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15022)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
19 Dec 15
@jaboUK , yes, that is why I say dogs are little angels, they are loving and loyal, and so devoted, they are lucky to have each other, she knows she has a true friend and companion in the little dog as you conveyed so well in this poem.
1 person likes this
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
18 Dec 15
Any chance of a sequel from the dog's point of view?
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 15
@troyburns Yes it was on B. I may bring it here sometime.
1 person likes this
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
19 Dec 15
@jaboUK - I never got to see that. If it was an old bubbly post, maybe you could 'reprint' it here.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
19 Dec 15
I hope Santa will come down and give her a place to lay down her back, and food to feel her tummy and also food for her dog
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 15
@ridingbet We can hope for that Ingrid, but we know it's unlikely don't we? There are so many of these unfortunate people around.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
19 Dec 15
@jaboUK true. the beggars here are sprouting like mushrooms again, and they do not even believe in Christmas.
1 person likes this
