Literature- Zoo poem and Dog quote etc

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

Here are some quotes from an old book I am reading

( " Lesser Lives " by Elinor White, [an Australian] (published 1937) ).

As most people are aware, different people have written about animals and

cruelty to animals

over the centuries. I wonder what Elinor White would have written if she had

seen the dogs

and other animals sold for meat in Korea, China and other parts of Asia and

the way they are killed. I also wonder what she would have thought knowing

that in the year 2002, the NSW Government in Australia wants to legalise a

Bill promoting blood sports.

 

From a Chapter entitled " Happiness "

 

" It is natural that we should like to have dogs about us;

their enthusiasm for play, their excitement over things

in general, their appreciation of creature comforts,

are all part of their lovableness; the unnecessary discomfort and dullness,

the fear and the pain which too often fall to their lot are a travesty

of what life could be for them. The joy of giving unselfish affection

is one which dogs share with the best of men and women. "

 

" Lesser Lives " by Elinor White (published 1937)

 

Zoos

******

 

The tick of time is out of rhyme,

Where wild things wait for death,

Watching the stars through iron bars,

And breathing each other's breath.

But little man with his civic plan,

To conquer and subdue,

Acquires a thrill from broken will,

Of beasts in the city zoo

 

-City Zoo, by Vivian Yeiser Laramore.

 

" The " belated horror " of a trapper is described by Mary Coles Carrington

in a poem called " The trapper "

 

" How dark the hour of death must seem,

To him who as the end draws near,

Sees the accusing piteous ghosts

Of tortured animals appear!...

I cannot think God would requite

Even to him such pain and dread,

But this I pray - that he may hear

And understand the hapless dead " ;.....

 

From page 146 of Lesser Lives

 

" And then there is a lovely poem by Robert Nichols,

which describes the joy of a walk by the sea, " the seaside silence, "

and the sunlit glory of the sands and water.

 

" Lost in my joy, I moved without a thought,

Save of the loveliness about me cast "

 

Till he sees

 

" A huge gull shot by some wanton fool

And left - it may be hours ago - to die " ...

" His flanks were whiter than the purest cloud " ...

But there was blood upon his breast and back,...

" There was one thing to do. It was soon done.

But, Oh, the smell of blood upon my hands,

The chillness which had marbled the fair sky,

The hateful fire of hatred in my tears! "

 

" The hateful fire of hatred in my tears " is a phrase full of meaning to

those

whose eyes have looked upon animals ill-used by " wanton fools " .

 

******************************************************

 

Kind regards,

 

Marguerite