Atdog
“Atman is a Sanskrit word that means inner self, spirit, or soul. In Hindu philosophy, especially in the Vedanta school of Hinduism, Atman is the first principle: the true self of an individual beyond identification with phenomena.”
—Wikipedia
“In Frankfurt he spent the remaining years of his life, living quietly… with no friends or companions except a small poodle. He named the dog Atman.”
–Robert F. Davidson, “Pessimism: Arthur Schopenhauer,” Philosophies Men Live By
Poodily doodily,
Arthur F. Schopenhauer
named his dog Atman—a
touch of arcane
hypocoristical
anthropomorphism;
Atman, unselfishly,
didn’t complain.
A writer and fine artist, Alex Steelsmith has coauthored three nonfiction books and numerous articles for various publications, including USA Today. In addition to Light, Alex’s poems have appeared in The Spectator, The Washington Post, The Lyric, Snakeskin, Lighten Up Online, Parody, and other venues. His artwork has been shown in many museums and galleries, and is in the Smithsonian’s permanent collection.