{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/the-genesis-of-crime",
 "title": "The Genesis of Crime",
 "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": null,
 "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": 18,
  "n_stanzas": 1,
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  [
   {
    "text": "God said, “Let there be Crime,” and the command",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Brought Satan, leading Stoneman by the hand.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Why, that’s Stupidity, not Crime,” said God⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Bring what I ordered.” Satan with a nod",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Replied, “This is one element⁠—when I",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The other⁠—Opportunity⁠—supply",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In just equivalent, the two’ll affine",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And in a chemical embrace combine",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And Crime result⁠—for Crime can only be",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Stupiditate of Opportunity.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So leaving Stoneman (not as yet endowed",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With soul) in special session on a cloud,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Nick to his sooty laboratory went,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Returning soon with t’other element.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Here’s Opportunity,” he said, and put",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Pen, ink, and paper down at Stoneman’s foot.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He seized them⁠—Heaven was filled with fires and thunders,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And Crime was added to Creation’s wonders!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}