Pink Dogish

I wasn't sure, but I think this poem might possibly have been a social commentary or something.  Elizabeth Bishop's Pink Dog was kind of funny, I suppose.  I enjoyed "all the beggars who can afford them now wear life preservers." [lines 23-24].  I saw the where the speaker was poking fun at the poor and lower class, even in a mean-spirited way.  The use of Carnival and Ash Wednesday towards the last three stanzas no doubt has significance, and Costello says the location (Rio de Janeiro) also means something, thought I'm not sure what it all means.  I really want to talk about this one in class tomorrow hopefully because I don't think I got the whole picture, especially the significance of the pink dog itself.  I haven't really grasped that concept just as of yet.  Also, I noticed that two words, fantasía and máscara, were italicized -- o, mystery!  I can't wait until we get to write our own poems...