The winter’s day stretches soon
into the night and shadows

grow over me. I shiver as
the sky sends down its moistened

quilt. I snuggle deeper into
the hollow in the sand heaped on

the roadside and curl tighter
into a ball. My nose tucked

well inside my paws. A square of
light from a window falls nearby.

I watch it hard and try to draw
some warmth from it for Lady lives

inside that house. A dog needs
dreams to survive and I dream

of Lady glancing my way. But
she walks with her nose high in the

air. Her coat gleams and shines
with health in contrast to my flea

infested scabrous hide. Her
fancy collar lease are a

taunt to my lack of ownership.
I roam the roads unclaimed. She

eats a hearty meal. I scavenge
in refuse dumps. A dog must live.

I shiver at the thought of
her cold, disdainful looks. She’ll

never mix with the likes of me.
I’d kill her at the first rabid

lick. It’s a cold world. A dog needs
something to live for. The alley

cat comes quietly by. Her
tail high in the air. She spits

and hisses.I thump my tail in
reply. She purrs then and sighs. She

scratches her back against my back
and lies down close beside me. We

sleep the night in the warmth of
friendship. A dog needs to survive.