Canine Comprehension

Emanated from the eccentric mind of Lawrence Ferlinghetti, "Dog" is an illustrious poem that beautifully captures the essence of the Beat Generation. Ferlinghetti both wrote and published this poem in 1958—what some would consider the height of the Beatnik literary movement. Because I'm a sucker for colorful imagery and an underlying political message in poetry, I fell in love with "Dog" the moment I read it.

I believe this poem holds merit in a number of ways. First and foremost, the reader should notice Ferlinghetti's use of repetition. He periodically uses the phrase "the dog trots freely in the street" to demonstrate the cavalier attitude the dog has whilst walking through an urban area of San Francisco. Despite the wide array of images the dog sees, it continues about its excursion with a carefree and aloof sense of curiosity. The animal's indifference is emphasized repeatedly.

To continue on the subject of the poem's style, Ferlinghetti uses alliterations left and right. When describing the scenes that the protagonist sees as it trots, the author utilizes words that begin with the same letter to make the poem more aesthetically pleasing. For example: "drunks in doorways", "cats and cigars" and "poolrooms and policemen".

Each scene the dog passes is different than the last. What's more is that dog does not linger when considering what it has just seen; it simply moves onto the next sight. This leads me to describe my favorite stylistic element of "Dog". The flow of the poem immediately grabs the attention of the reader. In fact, Ferlinghetti invites the reader to follow the dog's journey at the same tempo at which the dog, itself, is moving. I found my eyes bouncing from word to word, as if I was struggling to keep a firm grasp on the literary leash—a leash attached to an overly curious protagonist that has an insatiable desire to discover something new.

By the end of the poem, I could absolutely identify with the dog’s philosophy concerning authority and affairs that did not directly affect him. “He doesn't hate cops, He merely has no use for them” and “He's not afraid of Congressman Doyle, although what he hears is very discouraging” are prime examples of the dog’s indifference that I admire. Similarly, when I encounter an authority figure whilst trotting along the sidewalk of life, I find myself more interested in my metaphorical fleas than I am with the figure’s intimidation. Perhaps a casual sniff, then I continue about my way.

Clearly, “Dog” is a manifestation of Ferlinghetti’s dissatisfaction with the state of political affairs in San Francisco at the time it was written. However, like the dog, Ferlinghetti does not linger on unpleasantries like authority. Instead of bothering himself with their intrusive nature, he would rather live his life with a childlike sense of wonder and an admiration for the often overlooked beauty around him.

Inspired by his own dog, Homer, Ferlinghetti has successfully written one of my favorite poems.