alice

missing your
own dog,
you dream
of finding a dog
lost in the street.
so you pick him
up and carry him
everywhere
you go
asking if it's theirs.
the dog is white
and has a black
spot on his head.
he licks your face
when you speak
to him.
no one seems
to know whose
dog it is.
they've never seen
this dog. finally,
you see a collar
underneath his
fuzzy neck. you
slide it around to
read the tag.
yours, it says.
when you awaken you
reach over
to pet the dog,
but someone
who goes by the name
of alice slaps your hand
and says, hey.
hey. i'm sleeping,
here, cut that out.