creaking and shivering from cold,

fragile, exposed, bare back and broken,

cut down,

stumbling, to the floor,

crawling across tarmac to get to concrete shelter,

trembling in abandoned houses.

Neglected.

Abused.

Taunted.

Mistreated.

One drop of water for their unquenchable thirst,

one drop of brandy to warm the aching bones,

and slowly eat away at the liver and soul.

Pitch and tone out their on their own,

occasionally huddling together,

thrown away and discarded,

theardbare and alone.

 

text creative commons copyright

picture copyright Stewart Tunnicliff 2016