{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/ad-moodium",
 "title": "Ad Moodium",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Ambrose Bierce",
 "poet_slug": "ambrose-bierce",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Black Beetles in Amber",
 "book_slug": "black-beetles-in-amber",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 111,
 "container": "Black Beetles in Amber",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1892,
  "venue": "Black Beetles in Amber (1892)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/blackbeetlesinam00bier"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
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  "repo": "standardebooks/ambrose-bierce_poetry",
  "file": "black-beetles-in-amber.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
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   "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": 36,
  "n_stanzas": 9,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 41,
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Tut! Moody, do not try to show",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To gentlemen and ladies",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "That if they have not “Faith,” they’ll go",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Headlong to Hades.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Faith is belief; and how can I",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Have that by being willing?",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "This dime I cannot, though I try,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Believe a shilling.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Perhaps you can. If so, pray do⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Believe you own it, also.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But what seems evidence to you",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I may not call so.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Heaven knows I’d like the Faith to think",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "This little vessel’s contents",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Are liquid gold. I see ’tis ink",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For writing nonsense.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Minds prone to Faith, however, may",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Come now and then to sorrow:",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "They put their trust in truth to-day,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In lies to-morrow.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "No doubt the happiness is great",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To think as one would wish to;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But not to swallow every bait,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As certain fish do.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "To think a snake a cord, I hope,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Would bolden and delight me;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But some day I might think a rope",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Would chase and bite me.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Curst Reason! Faith forever blest!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You’re crying all the season.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Well, who decides that Faith is best?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Why, Mr. Reason.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "He’s right or wrong; he answers you",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "According to your folly,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And says what you have taught him to,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Like any polly.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ]
 ]
}