soyuz
we were boys
many of us had dogs we loved that loved us
all the way in return there was
a dog going round and round the world
in a little can
in the news on television
in the classroom the big clocks ticked
while the teachers talked
IBM and ICBM seemed so linked
it was confusing at first
Laika I'm sorry
I rubbed your nose in your own shit
and spanked you for going crazy
left alone in the house
did you whine the way a dog will
complaining to its absent god
I'm sorry
please
ahh
my life is small again
