When I carefully consider the curious habits of dogs
I am compelled to conclude
That man is the superior animal.
When I consider the curious habits of man
I confess, my friend, I am puzzled.
— Ezra Pound
Ezra Weston Loomis Pound (1885 – 1972) was born in Hailey, Idaho and was an American expatriate poet. During his stay in London in the early 20th century as foreign editor of several American literary magazines, he helped discover and shape the work of contemporaries such as T. S. Eliot, James Joyce, Robert Frost and Ernest Hemingway. His political views ensure that his work remains controversial; in 1933 Time magazine called him “a cat that walks by himself, tenaciously unhousebroken and very unsafe for children.” Hemingway nevertheless wrote: “The best of Pound’s writing – and it is in the Cantos – will last as long as there is any literature.”
I resolved that at 30 I would know more about poetry than any man living, that I would know what was accounted poetry everywhere, what part of poetry was “indestructible,” what part could not be lost by translation and – scarcely less important – what effects were obtainable in one language only and were utterly incapable of being translated. In this search I learned more or less of nine foreign languages, I read Oriental stuff in translations, I fought every University regulation and every professor who tried to make me learn anything except this, or who bothered me with “requirements for degrees.”
Sources: Photograph – Thank you Carol @ Radiating Blossom via Etsy.com. Poem: Journal of Nobody
So true. Love the quote. And the photo.
Me too…thanks.
Ditto. “So true. Love the quote. And the photo.”
🙂 Thanks Kristin
Great quote, though I find it less puzzling than amusing.
He observed the destruction of World War.
I know – and a perceived Anti-Semite too – but his observations are nonetheless relevant and on point.
So sorry. I had no idea.
Why are you sorry??? I still enjoy reading his perceptions – whether or not he had some skewed perspectives doesn’t change my curiousity.
Love the quote, thank you for sharing
Thank you.
a keen observer of humanity.
He was…
Living out of the box and not in the box is a priority I encourage and embrace. Great words. Thanks.
Thank you Bill.
Oh, dogs for sure are the superior species…humans are just too bizarre. 🙂
Oh Boy. Here comes the freight train. 🙂
Love the quote David, love the picture and love the pondering thoughts it is bringing to my head 🙂
Thanks Tina. I took the same away from both…
gor it from the photo: it’s an ostrich-dog… 🙂
Laughing. Ostrich-dog. New breed! 🙂
I’m doubtful about his conclusion. Sounds like the underlying analysis is very shaky, to say the least.
I’m not close enough to him or his analysis to even have a point of view.
I’ll bet dogs are equally as puzzled by the habits of man.
I bet they are!
Well, indeed, nothing can top human curious habits!]
[Yes, your Pavlovian friend is back! ;-)]
Awwwww, yes. Where has she been? Such a long sabbatical. We missed you here!
She has been moving to a new home… the longest most exhausting move she’s had so far! 🙄 I missed you too!
Wow, good for you Marina. Best of luck!