A small boy and a smaller dog
sitting on a curb, in the late afternoon.
A Rockwell painting; alive.
An image to conjure thoughts of our glorious age-
stirring pride
and warming hearts.
But the dog is tired and thin
and the boy's smudged face echos the pups hunger.
I suppose they're waiting for a parent
or a sibling who's running late,
but more likely
he and the dog will sit,
their shadows will draw longer
and the sun will fade to orange, then pink.
