Dogs of an Eternal Winter

[image by Maxim Marmur at ft.com]

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.