"Pink Dog" by Elizabeth Bishop

This poem by Elizabeth Bishop is more metaphorical than literal. For example, in the second stanza of the poem, Bishop scribes, "Oh, never have I seen a dog so bare! / Naked and pink, without a single hair... / Startled, the passersby draw back and stare." Initially, the reader is going to think that the poem is about an actual dog, but I believe the central theme of the poem to be about society. Yes, the poem begins by talking about a dog, but as the poem continues, the poem is more directed at people in general. For example, at the end of the poem, the poem takes a different turn. Bishop writes "a depilated dog would not look well. / Dress up! Dress up and dance at Carnival!" The central theme of the poem is that we, as people, walk around as hideous creatures with painful pasts. We are the bare, naked dogs. However, no matter how difficult our lives can be, no matter what we have going on, we must dress up for "Carnival." And perhaps this poem is not asking us to dress up for "Carnival;" maybe this symbolizes that we should look forward to what's in store in our lives no matter who we are. "Carnival" symbolizes that each of us are worthy of getting into heaven, no matter who we are. We need to look forward to what's in store for our future in heaven.

The tone of the poem is encouraging. This is achieved through Bishop's use of diction. For instance, maybe this is best defined in the following quote: "In your condition you would not be able to even float, much less to dog-paddle. Now look, the practical, the sensible solution is to wear a fantasia." This is just one example of how the narrator is trying to bring the character out of despair and show him that he deserves happiness. The imagery is infused with terms dealing with the Carnival. Yes, the imagery also uses animal terms throughout such as "rabies" and "a nursing mother"; the Carnival imagery, however, includes "fantasia" and "mascara"  to excite the reader about the festivites of Carnival. The form of the pattern is that every line for three lines in a row rhymes. However, it is very confusing because of how the lines are broken up to fit the rhyming pattern. The broken sense of the poem causes it to be choppy, and it does not flow well. It took a little getting used to, but I think that the broken yet cohesiveness also adds to the theme of the poem. We all are different and have our own scars, but we all deserve to enjoy a night out at Carnival.