and Never Alone

I walked alone tonight… in the cool air and in the sleepy neighborhood.

I walked alone as I stretched my neck to see the crescent moon floating in the dark… perched like a mirage.

I walked alone as I spotted the first lightning bug of the summer… It hid from my eyes in spurts as I tried to track its path.

I walked alone with my shadow. I followed the flowing giant from lamp post to lamp post. Its pace was steady.

I walked alone with the sounds of the tree frogs… they sang as one in the echo of the streets.

I walked alone with our dog Cash… the rhythm of his collar kept tempo within my footsteps. He marched from curb to curb, staying alert to my reassuring voice.

I walked alone with the stars that blinked through the treetops. They remain constant and observant.

I walked with my memories of the quiet and of the calm. As I trace my steps… never alone.

                                                    Shannon R Killman