Sunday, January 15, 2012

Dogs of an Eternal Winter

[photo by Maxim Marmur]

Kids, this poem is from last winter, when I came across this news story. I woke up this cold snowy morning thinking of these dogs, and all creatures who are trying to survive the winter outdoors (including many humans.) I thought I would post it again for our contemplation.

26,000 homeless dogs
roam the streets
of Moscow.

26,000 fur bundles
of love-
on-paws,
live hungry,
cold,
without shelter
in the freezing air.

Some are so smart
they know how
to ride the subway,
where the seats
are softer
than the frozen
concrete
streets
of the inner city,
and where for an hour
they share
some warmth
with the
human passengers.

Sometimes
they roam
together,
seeking
food and fellowship.

Hunger
is their
most constant
companion.

The city
planned
to send them
all to a gulag camp
outside the city.
Citizens protested,
knowing
they all would die,
and the news reports
ceased.

But keep an eye out
for sudden evacuations
by night.

No government bureau
is funded
to help
these most helpless
of
creatures.

A handful
of private citizens
do what they can.

The hungry dogs
of
an eternal winter
walk
the streets
of Moscow
with
questions
in their eyes,

and,
when they dream,
they dream
of spring.

7 comments:

  1. Sherry this is heart breaking. I hate to think of homeless anything... without warmth, food, and love. A beautiful poem about a very sad topic.

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  2. This made me cry, Sherry. The previous post I read made me laugh, so I should have quit at your title and come back later.
    I didn't see many loose dogs in Moscow last summer, certainly no groups of dogs. I don't know if it means the unthinkable happened or if they were just boogying around Moscow enjoying the summer weather.

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  3. I am glad you posted this again. I cannot read it. It would be too painful. I think that everyone who wants a dog or two or more needs to find rescue dogs.

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  4. So very sad to think of all these dogs struggling in such a hard winter to survive.

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  5. I don't know what to say except that my heart goes out to these dogs as well. I told you, I think, that my Sundance was a stray.

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  6. Dear Sherry

    Please tell me why all the dogs I meet, in the street or in homes, large yellow eyes and tails in heavy motion, why do they all insist on reaching up to my visage..

    Could it be that I had a doggy life in my last birth or is it that am gonna have it next time

    What do you think!

    :)

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  7. Oh, man, this is harder to bear than the Humane Society ads. You're making me weep! Is there anything that can be done?

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