Stray Companion

The dog walks close, paws patter soft,

its shadow stretches long, as if it’s sought

a friend from nowhere, following behind,

a quest of comfort in the sidewalks lined.

I kneel, my hand out, and it nuzzles near,

a warmth in the cool air, chasing away fear.

This unclaimed creature, tail wagging with trust,

seems to seek solace, as if it must.

Who knows where it’s come from, or what it has lost?

I bend down and ask, for a moment, the cost—

in this small act, we both come alive,

a fleeting connection, two souls will survive.