dog was made to hunt and guard

THE DOG WAS MADE TO HUNT AND GUARD



The dog was made to hunt and guard,
the cat to catch a mouse,
but man was made to study hard
the woman in his house.

The ox was made to pull and plow,
the horse to ride and carry,
and man was made to make a vow
to someone he would marry.

The sheep was made to give us wool
the cow to give us cream,
and when a man is not a fool
a woman makes him dream.

The birds are meant to fill the cage
and fish to fill the pond,
but all the world can be a stage
for love when you are fond.

Perspective changes how we see
the world, but only love
has color that can make us free,
yet loyal as a dove.


Joseph Leo Koerner in "Inside Bruegel: The Play of Images in Children's Games" (The New Republic, February 1, 1999) writes that Abraham Ortelius inscribed one of his maps with the words: "The horse is made to pull and carry, the ox, to plow; the dog, to keep watch and hunt. Man, however, was born in order to contemplate the world in his gaze."


© 1999 Gershon Hepner 1/28/99