{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/charles-and-peter",
 "title": "Charles and Peter",
 "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": 29,
 "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": 36,
  "n_stanzas": 18,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 45,
  "max_indent": 0
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Ere Gabriel’s note to silence died",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "All graves of men were gaping wide.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Then Charles A. Dana, of The Sun",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Rose slowly from the deepest one.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“The dead in Christ rise first, ’tis writ,”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Quoth he⁠—“ick, bick, ban, doe⁠—I’m It!”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "(His headstone, footstone, counted slow,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Were “ick” and “bick,” he “ban” and “doe”:",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Of beating Nick the subtle art",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was part of his immortal part.)",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Then straight to Heaven he took his flight,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Arriving at the Gates of Light.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "There Warden Peter, in the throes",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of sleep, lay roaring in the nose.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Get up, you sluggard!” Dana cried⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“I’ve an engagement there inside.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The Saint arose and scratched his head.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“I recollect your face,” he said.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“(And, pardon me, ’tis rather hard),",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But⁠—” Dana handed him a card.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Ah, yes, I now remember⁠—bless",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My soul, how dull I am I⁠—yes, yes,",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Walk in. But I must tell you this:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "We’ve nothing better here than bliss.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“We’ve rest and comfort, though, and peace.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“H’m⁠—puddles,” Dana said, “for geese.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Have you in Heaven no Hell?” “Why, no,”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Said Peter, “nor, in truth, below.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“ ’Tis not included in our scheme⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "’Tis but a preacher’s idle dream.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The great man slowly moved away.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“I’ll call,” he said, “another day.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“On earth I played it, o’er and o’er,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And Heaven without it were a bore.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“O, stuff!⁠—come in. You’ll make,” said Pete,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“A hell where’er you set your feet.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}