A Dream Worn Round and White

i found a stone worn round and white

put it in my pocket
when day was done
i set it upon an old wooden chest.

that night i dreamed of a wise woman
a knot of white hair wrapped comfortably ‘round her head
as she sat upon her white cane chair, rocking.

a fair graceful dog curled by her feet
wound ‘round a comfortable groove
in a patch of smooth dirt
upon a well-worn yarn rug
braided ‘round till all its colors blended into white.

years ago, she’d given that dog a leather collar
but it had worn off.
he already knew where he was.
she spoke with a smile:
“that collar is long dog gone
and this has been waiting for you ever since.”
she opened her palm and i took
the stone worn round and white
put it in my pocket.