A Song in Praise by Ambrose Bierce
"A Song in Praise" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1897. The story follows a man who is obsessed with writing a song in praise of his dead wife. Despite the efforts of his friends and family to dissuade him, the man becomes increasingly consumed by his task, neglecting his own well-being and social responsibilities in the process. As he works on the song, he becomes more and more detached from reality, losing touch with the world around him. The story raises questions about the nature of grief, obsession, and the power of art to capture and convey emotions.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1895 · Genre: Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction · 194 words
First lines
Hail, blessed Blunder! golden idol, hail! -- Clay-footed deity of all who fail.
Celestial image, let thy glory shine, Thy feet concealing, but a lamp to mine.
Let me, at seasons opportune and fit, By turns adore thee and by turns commit.
In thy high service let me ever be (Yet never serve thee as my critics me) Happy and fallible, content to feel I blunder chiefly when to thee I kneel.
What this Textopian page supports
A Song in Praise is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 194 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Song in Praise by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Song in Praise?
- How does this poem by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Fiction — Due to Ambrose Bierce's notable career in writing fiction, this work can be primarily categorized as fiction.
- Satire — Ambrose Bierce is known for his satirical style and biting social commentary, making satire a fitting genre for this work.
- Historical Fiction — Considering Ambrose Bierce's penchant for incorporating historical elements and themes in his writings, the genre of historical fiction can be associated with 'A SONG IN PRAISE'.
- Short Story — As Bierce wrote primarily short stories, this could also be a fitting genre for 'A SONG IN PRAISE'.
Tags
gothic fiction · supernatural horror · mystery · thriller · literary fiction · american literature · short stories · symbolism · allegory · psychological horror · dark fantasy · macabre