I dreamed of you last night

but it wasn’t you

it was another dog
who looked just like you

but I was only borrowing her
at the whim of some unseen and uncaring entity

sometimes the dog was there
and sometimes she wasn’t
and I could not predict when

I wanted to protest the unfairness of it all
but there was no one to hear me

it was only a dream, I know
but it was true to this extent—

I will only have you again

when I dream