Section: «Poems»
Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings:
artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.);
a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").
In Contumaciam
Och! Father McGlynn,Ye appear to be inFer a bit of a bout wid the Pope;An' there's divil a doubtBut he's knockin' ye outWhile ye're hangin' onto the..
© Ambrose Bierce
Ignis Fatuus
Weep, weep, each loyal partisan,For Buckley, king of hearts;A most accomplished man; a manOf parts-of foreign parts.Long years he ruled with gentle..
© Ambrose Bierce
Humility
Great poets fire the world with fagots bigThat make a crackling racket,But I'm content with but a whispering twigTo warm some single jacket.
© Ambrose Bierce
Hospitality
Why ask me, Gastrogogue, to dine(Unless to praise your rascal wine)Yet never ask some luckless sinnerWho needs, as I do not, a dinner?
© Ambrose Bierce
Homo Podunkensis
As the poor ass that from his paddock straysMight sound abroad his field-companions' praise,Recounting volubly their well-bred leer,Their port..
© Ambrose Bierce
History
What wrecked the Roman power? One says vice,Another indolence, another dice.Emascle says polygamy. 'Not so,'Says Impycu-''twas luxury and show.'The..
© Ambrose Bierce
Hell
The friends who stood about my bedLooked down upon my face and said:'God's will be done-the fellow's dead.'When from my body I was freeI straightway..
© Ambrose Bierce
Haec Fabula Docet
A rat who'd gorged a box of baneAnd suffered an internal pain,Came from his hole to die (the labelRequired it if the rat were able)And found outside..
© Ambrose Bierce
Geotheos
As sweet as the look of a loverSaluting the eyes of a maidThat blossom to blue as the maidIs ablush to the glances above her,The sunshine is gilding..
© Ambrose Bierce
George A. Knight
Attorney Knight, it happens so sometimesThat lawyers, justifying cut-throats’ crimesFor hire-calumniating, too, for gold,The dead, dumb victims..
© Ambrose Bierce
Genesis [god Said: 'Let There Be Man,' And From The Clay]
God said: 'Let there be Man,' and from the clayAdam came forth and, thoughtful, walked away.The matrix whence his body was obtained,An empty..
© Ambrose Bierce
Genesis [god Said, 'Let There Be Crime,' And The Command]
God said, 'Let there be Crime,' and the commandBrought Satan, leading Stoneman by the hand.'Why, that's Stupidity, not Crime,' said God'Bring what I..
© Ambrose Bierce
General B.F. Butler
Thy flesh to earth, thy soul to God,We gave, O gallant brother;And o'er thy grave the awkward squadFired into one another!
© Ambrose Bierce
From Virginia To Paris
The polecat, sovereign of its native wood,Dashes damnation upon bad and good;The health of all the upas trees impairsBy exhalations deadlier than..
© Ambrose Bierce
From Top To Bottom
O Buddha, had you but foreknownThe vices of your priesthoodIt would have made you twist and moanAs any wounded beast would.You would have damned the..
© Ambrose Bierce
From The Minutes
When, with the force of a ram that discharges its ponderous bodyStraight at the rear elevation of the luckless culler of simples,The foot of..
© Ambrose Bierce
Freedom
Freedom, as every schoolboy knows,Once shrieked as Kosciusko fell;On every wind, indeed, that blowsI hear her yell.She screams whenever monarchs..
© Ambrose Bierce
Francine
Did I believe the angels soon would callYou, my beloved, to the other shore,And I should never see you any more,I love you so I know that I should..
© Ambrose Bierce
France
Unhappy State! with horrors still to strive:Thy Hugo dead, thy Boulanger alive;A Prince who'd govern where he dares not dwell,And who for power would..
© Ambrose Bierce
Four Of A Kind
ROBERT F. MORROWDear man! although a stranger and a foeTo soft affection's humanizing glow;Although untaught how manly hearts may throbWith more..
© Ambrose Bierce
Four Candidates For Senator
To flatter your way to the goad of your hope,O plausible Mr. Perkins,You'll need ten tons of the softest soapAnd butter a thousand firkins.The soap..
© Ambrose Bierce
Foundations Of The State
Observe, dear Lord, what lively pranksAre played by sentimental cranks!First this one mounts his hinder hoofsAnd brays the chimneys off the..
© Ambrose Bierce
Foresight
An 'actors' cemetery'! SureThe devil never tiresOf planning places to procureThe sticks to feed his fires.
© Ambrose Bierce
For Wounds
O bear me, gods, to some enchanted isleWhere woman's tears can antidote her smile.
© Ambrose Bierce
For Tat
O, heavenly powers! will wonders never cease?Hair upon dogs and feathers upon geese!The boys in mischief and the pigs in mire!The drinking water wet!..
© Ambrose Bierce