Explore "A Welcome" by Ambrose Bierce on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Because you call yourself Knights Templar, and / There's neither Knight nor Temple in the land, -- / Because you thus by vain pretense degrade / To paltry purposes traditions grand, --
Because to cheat the ignorant you say / The thing that's not, elated still to sway / The crass credulity of gaping fools / And women by fantastical display, --
Because no sacred fires did ever warm / Your hearts, high knightly service to perform -- / A woman's breast or coffer of a man / The only citadel you dare to storm, --
Because while railing still at lord and peer, / At pomp and fuss-and-feathers while you jeer, / Each member of your order tries to graft / A peacock's tail upon his barren rear, --
Because that all these things are thus and so, / I bid you welcome to our city. Lo! / You're free to come, and free to stay, and free / As soon as it shall please you, sirs -- to go.