My Lord Poet by Ambrose Bierce
The MY LORD POET by Ambrose Bierce is a short story that explores the themes of power, class, and social hierarchy. The narrator, a poor poet, is invited to dine with a wealthy lord, who he believes will be impressed by his poetry. However, the lord is unimpressed and instead mocks the poet's work, revealing the class divide between them. The story highlights the societal pressures placed on artists and the struggle for recognition in a world that often values wealth over artistic merit.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1872 · Genre: Literary Criticism, Anthologies, Biography · 174 words
First lines
"Who drives fat oxen should himself be fat;" Who sings for nobles, he should noble be.
There's no "non sequitur", I think, in that, And this is logic plain as a, b, c.
Now, Hector Stuart, you're a Scottish prince, If right you fathom your descent -- that fall From grace; and since you have no peers, and since You have no kind of nobleness at all, 'Twere better to sing little, lest you wince When made by heartless critics to sing small.
And yet, my liege, I bid you not despair -- Ambition conquers but a realm at once: For European bays arrange your hair -- Two continents, in time, shall crown you Dunce!
What this Textopian page supports
My Lord Poet is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1872 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: 1872 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Criticism, Anthologies, Biography, Non-fiction
- Length: 174 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for My Lord Poet by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering My Lord Poet?
- How does this poem by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Criticism first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Literary Criticism — The book is a collection of critiques and thoughts over poems and their creators. It is therefore primarily about analyzing and interpreting literary works.
- Anthologies — The book compiles different writings about several poets and their works, which makes it an anthology of sorts.
- Biography — In many of the cases, the analysis of the poetry becomes a biographical exploration of the life and character of the poet.
- Non-fiction — The book presents an analysis of real poets and their works, thereby falling into the category of non-fiction.
Tags
gothic fiction · horror · supernatural · mystery · thriller · literary fiction · historical fiction · romance · poetry · symbolism · allegory · fantasy