Cold and Alone: A Poem

At dusk,
in the fading light,
a rat
hobbles along the walkway.

The heavy sleet trickles down
while
the gusting wind collects strength.

At dawn,
in the warming glow,
the rat
lays motionless on the walkway.

Frigid air and bright sunshine
smother her
vulnerable remains.

Too many of us
die
cold and alone.