Decalogue

Ambrose Bierce 1842 (Meigs County) – 1914 (Chihuahua)



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 parents. That creates
   For life insurance lower rates.

   Kill not, abet not those who kill;
   Thou shalt not pay thy butcher's bill.

   Kiss not thy neighbor's wife, unless
   Thine own thy neighbor doth caress.

   Don't steal; thou'lt never thus compete
   Successfully in business. Cheat.

   Bear not false witness--that is low--
   But 'hear 'tis rumored so and so.'

   Covet thou naught that thou hast got
   By hook or crook, or somehow, got.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 17, 2023

39 sec read
132

Quick analysis:

Scheme AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II JJ
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 744
Words 128
Stanzas 10
Stanza Lengths 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2

Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was an American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist, and satirist. more…

All Ambrose Bierce poems | Ambrose Bierce Books

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