The bulb at the alley mouthflickers in spellslight, then dark againas if about to go out for goodbut then it lights again weakly, pale yellow
A doglies under the lampposteyes half closed in sleeptail tucked against its bodyeach time the light flickers its ear twitches
The woman carryingthe day's last street waressteps past the poleher shadow stretches longthen shortens at once when the bulb flares
A young man and womanstand under the awningthe man speaksthe woman stays silentthe bulb flickers downward their faces go dark
When they walk awaythe dog wakesstretches and gets upwalks toward the darkthe bulb still flickers steady, slowing down
It is nearly midnightthe bulb goes out completelythe whole small alleysinks into darknessa dog barking far away