Someone Else’s Shadow

Tail wagging like a loose promise,

a scruffy dog pads after me,

patchy fur catching dirt and hope.

Every few steps,

he stops, eyes bright and waiting,

like I owe him something

I can’t name.

He curls beside the curb,

a crooked grin holding the night,

a shadow that doesn’t quite belong.

I don’t ask who he is,

just let him follow,

a stray weight settling

against my tired skin,

silent in the streetlight.

Maybe he’s waiting for more

than I have.