shoulder

driving to work
in the dawn -
by the edge of the road
a dog lies still on its side;
the wind softly ruffles
dusty brown fur,
just the traffic
for company.

a small part of me
still quietly thinks
he should wake up and realize
that a road's cold shoulder
is not a good place
for a lost dog to be,
and get up and leave 
before I pass this place
coming home...