{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/a-whipper-in",
 "title": "A Whipper-in",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Ambrose Bierce",
 "poet_slug": "ambrose-bierce",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Shapes of Clay",
 "book_slug": "shapes-of-clay",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 148,
 "container": "Shapes of Clay",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1903,
  "venue": "Shapes of Clay (1903)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/shapesofclay00bier"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/ambrose-bierce_poetry",
  "file": "shapes-of-clay.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4793",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12658",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12977",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15599",
   "https://archive.org/details/collectedworksof04bierrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/collectedworksof05bierrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/collectedworksof08bierrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/shapesofclay00bier",
   "https://archive.org/details/blackbeetlesinam00bier",
   "https://archive.org/details/literarycalifor05mighgoog",
   "https://archive.org/details/cali07webb"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 30,
  "n_stanzas": 5,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 49,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Dudley, great placeman, man of mark and note,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Worthy of honor from a feeble pen",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Blunted in service of all true, good men,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "You serve the Lord⁠—in courses, table d’hôte:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Au naturel, as well as à la Nick⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Eat and be thankful, though it make you sick.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "O, truly pious caterer, forbear",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To push the Saviour and Him crucified",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "(Brochette you’d call it) into their inside",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Who’re all unused to such ambrosial fare.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The stomach of the soul makes quick revulsion",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of aught that it has taken on compulsion.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "I search the Scripture, but I do not find",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That e’er the Spirit beats with angry wings",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "For entrance to the heart, but sits and sings",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "To charm away the scruples of the mind.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "It says: “Receive me, please; I’ll not compel”⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Though if you don’t you will go straight to Hell!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Well, that’s compulsion, you will say. ’Tis true:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "We cower timidly beneath the rod",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Lifted in menace by an angry God,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But won’t endure it from an ape like you.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Detested simian with thumb prehensile,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Switch me and I would brain you with my pencil!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Face you the Throne, nor dare to turn your back",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On its transplendency to flog some wight",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Who gropes and stumbles in the infernal night",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Your ugly shadow lays along his track.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "O, Thou who from the Temple scourged the sin,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Behold what rascals try to scourge it in!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}