The Wisdom of Dogs

Here I stand, Diogenes, arriving in Athens, never on my knees and though I am naked and my healthy fats diminished, I am not resentful that by my father I was banished. For this is the wondrous city, Athens: the birthplace of democracy. Where all men are created equal, just not foreigners like me oh and women are not people. But that’s beside the point! This is the home of the greatest philosophers, forming moral compasses from ivory towers, while slaves pray today they may be granted showers. I am not homeless, no I’m an educated man, but I just can’t bring myself to take more from this land, than can be held in the palm of my two hands. “Put on some clothes” shouts an Athenian gent, neck bent so his gaze lands just above my head. “For what do I need those?” is my retort and it’s met with nothing but a contemptuous snort. I used to own a bowl it was wooden and beautiful and it served me with food from the charity of the wealthy and the rude, who pity my situation as if they knew, but they don’t know how to move through life, they’re corrupted and confused. I threw that bowl away when I saw one day a dog sipping from the puddle, a smile on his face, and I shouted: “I’m a disgrace!” and I threw that bowl back at society that told me I needed such an unnecessary commodity. So I joined that dog and we sat together, knowing that if we just stayed present this moment would last forever and the laughs from the crowd were drowned out by a heart that knew from the start what was true. I looked that dog in the eye and clarity filled my mind, we are none of us better than any form of life.

So now the only thing I truly need is a lamp, yes, a lamp to see! I carry it with me at all times in the hope that I may find an honest human being but thus far I still am blind. But I’ve really splashed out on my living accommodation, upon a basset hound’s recommendation I have found a ceramic jar. What once held wine will do just fine for me to sleep and eat and urinate with my gang of canines. And those who mock I do forgive, but they mock that I am not embarrassed to do what I must to live. They have become so vein, so full of disdain, that what is simple and plain just does not sit well in their brain. All the same, they are not to blame, they were raised to play this ill-conceived game, by the ruling elite who claim you peasants too can eat the finest of meat. They know no other option but to want and desire but if they’d listen I’d tell them they can aim higher. They are featherless bipeds, plucked chickens no less, who will die and realise we’re all equal when we’re dead.

From voluntary poverty, I was abducted by pirates, who took away the one thing I truly desired: freedom to be nothing other than me and I was plunged into slavery. But in midst of this trouble I became strong from my struggle and my philosophy was wiser than that of Aristotle. I escaped a changed man to Corinth where I gained some new fans. I was famous yet hated but this land was the greatest. Along came another well-dressed gent with a serious comment: “stand up, young man! A very important figure would like to shake your hand”, but I, Diogenes, will remain sat down but never on my knees. I raise my head for a gander oh it’s just another human named Alexander. “Alexander the Great has arrived!” but I see no titles just those who are dead and those who are alive. “What does he want?” I ask as if I owe him something. “He wants to learn”. Well that I can give him. But Alexander stood before me and asked with authority if there was anything he could do for me. I searched for the words that might be right then eventually I told him “step out of my sunlight!” And Alexander the Curious was suddenly furious he gave me a look like he could be dangerous but he bit his tongue and asked: “so young one, what is it you do for fun?” I said, well Alexander, “I’m glad that you asked, I was searching through graves this summer past, I do these things, when I’m alone, searching and searching through human bones, see your father I heard was a King, so I spent my time looking for him, but it took so long only to discover, I could not distinguish him from any other.” And Alexander fell to his knees, saying “if I weren’t Alexander, I’d be Diogenes.”