A siren screams
toward death or fire
breaking early morning silence
as creeping sunlight
mixes with long shadows
leftover from the night.

Across the street
a man struggles
to hold a snarling pit bull
which is dragging him
towards a smaller dog
cowering at his owner’s feet.

“No!” and “Knock it off!”
yells the man,
as the animal pulls
at his harness,
growling through bared canines.

The owner of the smaller dog
scoops him up,
carries him
to the opposite side
of the street,
cradling him in her arms
like a baby.

The pit bull stares
as they walk away,
covering its teeth
as they round a corner
out of sight.

Now it is man,
dragging beast toward home.
“Come on, you!” he says,
chest puffed, a strut in his step.