{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/master-of-three-arts",
 "title": "Master of Three Arts",
 "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": 39,
 "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": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "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": 30,
  "n_stanzas": 5,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 53,
  "max_indent": 1
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Your various talents, Goldenson, command",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Respect: you are a poet and can draw.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "It is a pity that your gifted hand",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Should ever have been raised against the law.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "If you had drawn no pistol, but a picture,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You would have saved your throttle from a stricture.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "About your poetry I’m not so sure:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "’Tis certain we have much that’s quite as bad,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Whose hardy writers have not to endure",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The hangman’s fondling. It is said they’re mad:",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Though lately Mr. Brooks (I mean the poet)",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Looked well, and if demented didn’t show it.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Well, Goldenson, I am a poet, too⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Taught by the muses how to smite the harp",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And lift the tuneful voice, although, like you",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And Brooks, I sometimes flat and sometimes sharp.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But let me say, with no desire to taunt you,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I never murder even the girls I want to.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "I hold it one of the poetic laws",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To sing of life, not take it. I have shown",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "A high regard for human life because",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I have such trouble to support my own.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And you⁠—well, you’ll find trouble soon in blowing",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Your private coal to keep it red and glowing.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "I fancy now I see you at the Gate",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Approach St. Peter, crawling on your belly.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "You cry: “Good sir, take pity on my state⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Forgive the murderer of Mamie Kelly!”",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And Peter says: “O, that’s all right⁠—but, mister,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You scribbled rhymes. In Hell I’ll make you blister!”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}