Came across a dog in the final throes
After the rain
His coat was wet and his eyes half-closed
They spoke of too many whips and curses
Too much pain
I thought that I would stay awhile
Lie with him in the sewer
Just stroke his fur and whisper kind things
Not much that I could do except be a friend
We're just lying side by side
Under the burning sun
We're just old comrades k**ing time
Waiting for the end to come
Then he seemed to speak my name
One last time
A dying soldier
Last breath in a storm drain
We've got some scars to show and we got some tales to tell
Once we walked tall we had superpowers
Now our only ambition is a lick of water and a flicker of shade
To cool the brow
To ease these dying hours