Christian poem – Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

I dreamed I stood upon a hill, and, lo! The godly multitudes walked to and fro Beneath, in Sabbath garments fitly clad, With pious mien, appropriately sad, While all the church bells made a solemn din — A fire-alarm to those who lived in sin. Then saw I gazing thoughtfully below, With tranquil […]

The Bride poem – Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

“YOU know, my friends, with what a brave carouse I made a second marriage in my house,- Divorced old barren Reason from my bed And took the Daughter of the Vine to spouse.” So sang the Lord of Poets. In a gleam Of light that made her like an angel seem, The Daughter of […]

At The Close Of The Canvass poem – Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

‘Twas a Venerable Person, whom I met one Sunday morning, All appareled as a prophet of a melancholy sect; And in a Jeremiad of objurgatory warning He lifted up his jodel to the following effect: “O ye sanguinary statesmen, intermit your verbal tussles! O ye editors and orators, consent to hear my lay! […]

A Wreath Of Immortelles poem – Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

Judge Sawyer, whom in vain the people tried To push from power, here is laid aside. Death only from the bench could ever start The sluggish load of his immortal part. ____ For those this mausoleum is erected Who Stanford to the Upper House elected. Their luck is less or their promotion slower, […]

With a Book poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

Words shouting, singing, smiling, frowning– Sense lacking. Ah, nothing, more obscure than Browning, Save blacking. Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce, (born June 24, 1842, Meigs county, Ohio, U.S.—died 1914, Mexico?), American newspaperman, wit, satirist, poet, and author of sardonic short stories based on themes of death and horror. His life ended in an unsolved […]

Weather poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

Once I dipt into the future far as human eye could see, And I saw the Chief Forecaster, dead as any one can be– Dead and damned and shut in Hades as a liar from his birth, With a record of unreason seldome paralleled on earth. While I looked he reared him solemnly, that […]

To the Bartholdi Statue poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

O Liberty, God-gifted– Young and immortal maid– In your high hand uplifted, The torch declares your trade. Its crimson menace, flaming Upon the sea and shore, Is, trumpet-like, proclaiming That Law shall be no more. Austere incendiary, We’re blinking in the light; Where is your customary Grenade of dynamite? Where are your staves and […]

The Statesmen poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

How blest the land that counts among Her sons so many good and wise, To execute great feats of tongue When troubles rise. Behold them mounting every stump, By speech our liberty to guard. Observe their courage–see them jump, And come down hard! ‘Walk up, walk up!’ each cries aloud, ‘And learn from me […]

Safety-Clutch poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

Once I seen a human ruin In a elevator-well. And his members was bestrewin’ All the place where he had fell. And I says, apostrophisin’ That uncommon woful wreck: “Your position’s so surprisin’ That I tremble for your neck!” Then that ruin, smilin’ sadly And impressive, up and spoke: “Well, I wouldn’t tremble badly, […]

Rimer poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

The rimer quenches his unheeded fires, The sound surceases and the sense expires. Then the domestic dog, to east and west, Expounds the passions burning in his breast. The rising moon o’er that enchanted land Pauses to hear and yearns to understand. Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce, (born June 24, 1842, Meigs county, Ohio, […]

Piety poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

The pig is taught by sermons and epistles To think the God of Swine has snout and bristles. Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce, (born June 24, 1842, Meigs county, Ohio, U.S.—died 1914, Mexico?), American newspaperman, wit, satirist, poet, and author of sardonic short stories based on themes of death and horror. His life ended […]

Freedom poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

Freedom, as every schoolboy knows, Once shrieked as Kosciusko fell; On every wind, indeed, that blows I hear her yell. She screams whenever monarchs meet, And parliaments as well, To bind the chains about her feet And toll her knell. And when the sovereign people cast The votes they cannot spell, Upon the pestilential […]

Elegy poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

The cur foretells the knell of parting day; The loafing herd winds slowly o’er the lea; The wise man homewards plods; I only stay To fiddle-faddle in a minor key. Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce, (born June 24, 1842, Meigs county, Ohio, U.S.—died 1914, Mexico?), American newspaperman, wit, satirist, poet, and author of sardonic […]

Decalogue poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

Thou shalt no God but me adore: ‘Twere too expensive to have more. No images nor idols make For Roger Ingersoll to break. Take not God’s name in vain: select A time when it will have effect. Work not on Sabbath days at all, But go to see the teams play ball. Honor thy […]

An Inion poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

A conqueror as provident as brave, He robbed the cradle to supply the grave. His reign laid quantities of human dust: He fell upon the just and the unjust. Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce, (born June 24, 1842, Meigs county, Ohio, U.S.—died 1914, Mexico?), American newspaperman, wit, satirist, poet, and author of sardonic short […]

Alone poem – by Ambrose Bierce poems | Poems and Poetry

In contact, lo! the flint and steel, By sharp and flame, the thought reveal That he the metal, she the stone, Had cherished secretly alone. Booley Fito. Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce, (born June 24, 1842, Meigs county, Ohio, U.S.—died 1914, Mexico?), American newspaperman, wit, satirist, poet, and author of sardonic short stories based […]