{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/born-leaders-of-men",
 "title": "Born Leaders of Men",
 "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": null,
 "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": {
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  "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": 21,
  "n_stanzas": 3,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 50,
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  [
   {
    "text": "Tuckerton Tamerlane Morey Mahosh",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Is a statesman of world-wide fame,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "With a notable knack at rhetorical bosh",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "To glorify somebody’s name⁠—",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Somebody chosen by Tuckerton’s masters",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To succor the country from divers disasters",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Portentous to Mr. Mahosh.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Percy O’Halloran Tarpy Cabee",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Is in the political swim.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "He cares not a button for men, not he:",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Great principles captivate him⁠—",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Principles cleverly cut out and fitted",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To Percy’s capacity, duly admitted",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And fought for by Mr. Cabee.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Drusus Tum Swinnerton Porfer Fitzurse",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Holds office the most of his life.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "For men nor for principles cares he a curse",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But much for his neighbor’s wife.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The Ship of State leaks, but he doesn’t pump any⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Messrs. Mahosh, Cabee & Company",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Pump for good Mr. Fitzurse.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ]
 ]
}