A small terrier looks up at a black crow on a wooden fence beside a red paper heart and flowers.

Original artwork, not a still

Beatrice

I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker ranks a dog barking at a crow above hearing a man's declaration of love. The deliberately unromantic comparison turns rejection into a joke. Rather than welcoming an elaborate promise, the speaker treats even a noisy animal exchange as the more appealing thing to hear.

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