{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/the-subdued-editor",
 "title": "The Subdued Editor",
 "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": 44,
 "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": 48,
  "n_stanzas": 12,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 48,
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Pope-eater Pixley set in his den",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A-chewin’ upon his quid.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "He thought it was Leo Thirteen, and then",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He bit it intenser, he did.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The amber which overflew from the cud",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Like rivers which burst out of bounds⁠—",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "’Twas peculiar pleasant to think it blood",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A-gushin’ from Papal wounds.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "A knockin’ was heard uponto the door",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where someone a-waitin’ was.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "“Come in,” said the shedder of priestly gore,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Arrestin’ to once his jaws.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The person which entered was curly of hair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And smilin’ as ever you see;",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "His eyes was blue, and uncommon fair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was his physiognomee.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "And yet there was some’at remarkable grand⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And the editor says as he looks:",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "“Your Height” (it was Highness, you understand,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That he meant, but he spoke like books)⁠—",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Your Height, I am in. I’m the editor man",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of this paper⁠—which is to say,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "I’m the owner, too, and it’s always ran",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the independentest way!",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“Not a dam galoot can interfere,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A-shapin’ my course for me:",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "This paper’s (and nothing can make it veer)",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Pixleian in policee!”",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“It’s little to me,” said the sunny youth,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“If journals is better or worse:",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Where I am to home they won’t keep, in truth,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The climate is that perverse.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“I’ve come, howsomever, your mind to light",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With a more superior fire:",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "You’ll have naught hencefor’ard to do but write,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While I sets by to inspire.",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“We’ll make it hot all round, bedad!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And his laughture was loud and free.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "“The devil!” cried Pixley, surpassin’ mad.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Exactly, my friend⁠—that’s me.”",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "So he took a chair and a feather fan,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And he sets and sets and sets,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Inspirin’ that humbled editor man,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Which sweats and sweats and sweats!",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "All unavailin’ his struggles be,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And it’s, O, a weepin’ sight",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "To see a great editor, bold and free,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Reducted to sech a plight!",
    "indent": 2
   }
  ]
 ]
}