Explore "A Black-List" by Ambrose Bierce on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
"Resolved that we will post," the tradesmen say, / "All names of debtors who do never pay." / "Whose shall be first?" inquires the ready scribe -- / "Who are the chiefs of the marauding tribe?" / Lo! high Parnassus, lifting from the plain, / Upon his hoary peak, a noble fane! / Within that temple all the names are scrolled / Of village bards upon a slab of gold; / To that bad eminence, my friend, aspire, / And copy thou the Roll of Fame, entire.
Yet not to total shame those names devote, / But add in mercy this explaining note: / "These cheat because the law makes theft a crime, / And they obey all laws but laws of rhyme."