Who sleepeth with dogs shall rise with fleas. —John Florio, 1578
Animals are such agreeable friends—they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.
—George Eliot,1857
"The pet offers its owner a mirror to a part that is otherwise never reflected."
- John Berger, 1977
"They are creatures of their owners’ way of life." John Berger on our beloved pets
"An ape will be an ape, though clad in purple." —Desiderius Erasmus, 1511
Since I got my cat Five White,
the rats never bother my books.
This morning Five White died.
I make offerings of rice and fish,
bury you in mid river
with incantations—I wouldn’t slight you.
Once you caught a rat,
ran around the garden with it squeaking in your mouth;
you hoped to put a scare into the other rats,
to clean up my house.
When we’d come aboard the boat
you shared our cabin,
and though we’d nothing but meager dried rations,
we ate them without fear of rat piss and gnawing—
because you were diligent,
a good deal more so than the pigs and chickens.
People make much of their prancing steeds;
they tell me nothing can compare to a horse or donkey—
enough!—I’ll argue the point no longer,
only cry for you a little.
by Mei Yaochen
© 1971, Columbia University Press. Used with permission of Columbia University Press.
Source: http://www.laphamsquarterly.org/voices-in-time/for-fleas-also.php
Animals are such agreeable friends—they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.
—George Eliot,1857
"The pet offers its owner a mirror to a part that is otherwise never reflected."
- John Berger, 1977
"They are creatures of their owners’ way of life." John Berger on our beloved pets
c. 1810, Japan: "Spring rain: / The uneaten ducks / Quack."
"An ape will be an ape, though clad in purple." —Desiderius Erasmus, 1511
"The Ox turned Butcher", 18th.C woodcut.
More role-reversals here: http://bit.ly/YhEneO pic.twitter.com/fiFwZOvkQ2
c. 1040 / China
Eulogy
Since I got my cat Five White,
the rats never bother my books.
This morning Five White died.
I make offerings of rice and fish,
bury you in mid river
with incantations—I wouldn’t slight you.
Once you caught a rat,
ran around the garden with it squeaking in your mouth;
you hoped to put a scare into the other rats,
to clean up my house.
When we’d come aboard the boat
you shared our cabin,
and though we’d nothing but meager dried rations,
we ate them without fear of rat piss and gnawing—
because you were diligent,
a good deal more so than the pigs and chickens.
People make much of their prancing steeds;
they tell me nothing can compare to a horse or donkey—
enough!—I’ll argue the point no longer,
only cry for you a little.
by Mei Yaochen
© 1971, Columbia University Press. Used with permission of Columbia University Press.
Source: http://www.laphamsquarterly.org/voices-in-time/for-fleas-also.php
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