Dear Donkey

“The Donkey

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.”
― G.K. Chesterton

Christmas is full of symbolism.  I enjoy seeking out beginnings of things.  For one, I know that Jesus was not born on December 25, but what I did not know is that, for one, Hippolytus of Rome had a philosophy about why December 25th.  He assumed that Jesus was conceived at Spring Equinox (March 25) and then worked forwards nine months which makes it Dec 25th.  In 335A.D. as the Christians were trying to extinguish Pagan celebrations, it was decided to take away the Winter Solstice celebration.  January 6th was another date chosen because, in ancient times, it was believed that auspicious people died on their conception date.  Who knows, but just know, the choice of dates was made to hide ancient celebrations.

Now, about those animals at the manger.  I have never seen any evidence that any writers of the original birth story included Christmas.  A donkey was mentioned as they wrote that Mary rode a donkey.  See, I found another fact about donkeys that I did not know.  All donkeys, everywhere in the world, have a dark cross on their backs that runs down the spines and across their shoulders.  Did you know that?  I did not. So I am sure you can put two and two together as to why.

It was long thought donkeys were simple stubborn and dumb.  Think of the stories you know about donkeys according to literature, movies, jokes and cartoons.  But donkeys were always beasts of burden.  They were always hard working, in that they were beasts of burden and therefore symbolized service and humility.  Think of how many times the donkey/ass was mentioned in the Christian Bible.  Always the donkey was featured as poverty, peace, and humility.  Long journeys were made on the backs of donkeys because they had great stamina for such.  

An Egyptian God, Seth is rep[resented by a donkey and is associated with desert and desert storms.  The Greek God, Typhon, was associated with donkeys.  Donkeys, in early Egypt were not beaten nor treated badly.  They were important to the Egyptian economy as trading in far places depended on them carrying the burdens.  It was much later that camels were used.  There was even an early festival where a donkey was sacrificed to symbolize the death of Osiris by his son.  They even decorated bread with the sign of the donkey.  Some even cast spells 

So, as we celebrate the Cold Moon today, I am taken to my art journal to portray a kinder, gentler portrayal of the symbolism of the burden carriers.  Again, simple shapes make the donkey's face.  Trying to put highlights in and showing depth is done purely with painting.  Somehow the blue really added to this character.  



©Carol Desjarlais 12.12.19