To My Liars Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHH IIJJKKLLMNOOGGOOPP OOOOQQRROOOOJJOOSS TTOOGGJJOOOOMMSUJJOO| Attend mine enemies of all degrees | A |
| From sandlot orators and sandlot fleas | A |
| To fallen gentlemen and rising louts | B |
| Who babble slander at your drinking bouts | B |
| And filled with unfamiliar wine begin | C |
| Lies drowned ere born in more congenial gin | C |
| But most attend ye persons of the press | D |
| Who live though why yourselves alone can guess | D |
| In hope deferred ambitious still to shine | E |
| By hating me at half a cent a line | E |
| Like drones among the bees of brighter wing | F |
| Sunless to shine and impotent to sting | F |
| To estimate in easy verse I'll try | G |
| The controversial value of a lie | G |
| So lend your ears God knows you have enough | H |
| I mean to teach and if I can't I'll cuff | H |
| - | |
| A lie is wicked so the priests declare | I |
| But that to us is neither here nor there | I |
| 'Tis worse than wicked it is vulgar too | J |
| N'importe with that we've nothing here to do | J |
| If 'twere artistic I would lie till death | K |
| And shape a falsehood with my latest breath | K |
| Parrhasius never more did pity lack | L |
| The while his model writhed upon the rack | L |
| Than I for my collaborator's pain | M |
| Who stabbed with fibs again and yet again | N |
| Would vainly seek to move my stubborn heart | O |
| If slander were and wit were not an art | O |
| The ill bred and illiterate can lie | G |
| As fast as you and faster far than I | G |
| Shall I compete then in a strife accurst | O |
| Where Allen Forman is an easy first | O |
| And where the second prize is rightly flung | P |
| To Charley Shortridge or to Mike de Young | P |
| - | |
| In mental combat but a single end | O |
| Inspires the formidable to contend | O |
| Not by the raw recruit's ambition fired | O |
| By whom foul blows though harmless are admired | O |
| Not by the coward's zeal who on his knee | Q |
| Behind the bole of his protecting tree | Q |
| So curves his musket that the bark it fits | R |
| And firing blows the weapon into bits | R |
| But with the noble aim of one whose heart | O |
| Values his foeman for he loves his art | O |
| The veteran debater moves afield | O |
| Untaught to libel as untaught to yield | O |
| Dear foeman mine I've but this end in view | J |
| That to prevent which most you wish to do | J |
| What then are you most eager to be at | O |
| To hate me Nay I'll help you sir at that | O |
| This only passion does your soul inspire | S |
| You wish to scorn me Well you shall admire | S |
| - | |
| 'Tis not enough my neighbors that you school | T |
| In the belief that I'm a rogue or fool | T |
| That small advantage you would gladly trade | O |
| For what one moment would yourself persuade | O |
| Write then your largest and your longest lie | G |
| You sha'n't believe it howsoe'er you try | G |
| No falsehood you can tell no evil do | J |
| Shall turn me from the truth to injure you | J |
| So all your war is barren of effect | O |
| I find my victory in your respect | O |
| What profit have you if the world you set | O |
| Against me For the world will soon forget | O |
| It thought me this or that but I'll retain | M |
| A vivid picture of your moral stain | M |
| And cherish till my memory expire | S |
| The sweet soft consciousness that you're a liar | U |
| Is it your triumph then to prove that you | J |
| Will do the thing that I would scorn to do | J |
| God grant that I forever be exempt | O |
| From such advantage as my foe's contempt | O |
Ambrose Bierce
(1)
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About To My Liars
To My Liars is a poem by Ambrose Bierce. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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