Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Animal

Windblown shelters
the scent of living cedar
I am my animal
senses alive
choking on human intelligence
begging instinct to push
through my skin as fur
to warm me

Gillian Cornwall, 1993

Sunday, September 13, 2009

The Fog

A fog has descended over the town that is my brain.
Strangers move silently through the haze
bumping one another with ignorance and a taste of vehemence.

A raging parade masked by the static
thick in the throats of the anonymous crowd.

Fedoras pulled down
Collars turned up
Heads bent
and shoulders hunched

Not a glance exchanged
No introductions made
No gentle touches
Nor aspirations shared

Friday, September 11, 2009

Contemporary Delight


Wendy Welch is my favourite contemporary artist. I won't talk about it here but please take a look at her website.

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Wild Things Gone Tame

I sure know that I am unlikely to gain many friends with this post but I hope that it inspires some thought and some alternate perspectives.

The domestication of animals is the issue at hand. I want folks to consider the likelihood that the domestication of any and all species only benefits the human. From farm animals to pets, this is the score: Humans = advantage; animals = 0

The domestication of animals for consumption has a somewhat obvious history with humans desire for an easy food source but the keeping of animals as pets is only about human whim and desire for control over other creatures. Why do we take certain animals into our living space and let them sleep where we sleep, eat what and where we eat and then get upset at them when their instincts show and they scratch the furniture, meow, bark or mark their territory?

Animals made into pets from wild things lacked choice. This was a selfish act on the part of humanity. We are the only animal that seeks to control other animals and then anthropomorphize them. We are proud of ourselves for saving a kitten or puppy that may have been euthanized but they are only in that position as a result of our domestication of their species. Wild animals have little or no need of us.

We humans are ungainly and selfish creatures who lack instinct and the ability to function in our environment. Take a moment to picture the earth without the human animal.

It's astounding, isn't it?

I call for people to consider stopping the further domestication of all species. What if we set a date by which we would no longer breed animals for our use and further consider the amount of space we take up on this earth? Let's make a space for the freedom of our fellow creatures.

If you want meat, hunt it.

If you want comfort, look to yourselves and to each other.

Peace.