{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/to-a-bully",
 "title": "To a Bully",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Ambrose Bierce",
 "poet_slug": "ambrose-bierce",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume V",
 "book_slug": "collected-works-v",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 35,
 "container": "Black Beetles in Amber",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1911,
  "venue": "The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume V (1911)",
  "note": "Taken from Volume V of the Neale collected edition (copyright 1911). That is the printing this text comes from, not the poem's first appearance: the volume's own preface states that most of its verses are republished from newspapers and periodicals of the Pacific Coast, and which of them printed this poem first has not been established here.",
  "uncertain": true,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/collectedworksof05bierrich"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/ambrose-bierce_poetry",
  "file": "black-beetles-in-amber.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": 72,
  "n_stanzas": 12,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 51,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "They say, George Perry, you’re a lawyer. Well,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "At least that’s your profession, but in fact,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Law’s like religion (though, the truth to tell,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The likeness is not otherwise exact)",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "In this, that in them both, my learned brother,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Profession’s one thing, practice quite another.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But you do practice, for the other day",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I saw you mentioned in a case in court,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Cross-questioning a witness. I must say",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You did it as a cat that loves to sport",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "With an unworthy mouse all too unwilling",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To accept the justice of repeated killing.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "This witness, so the tale is told to me,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Fatigued of your attempt upon his life⁠—",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "I mean his reputation⁠—made him free",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With yours, affirming that you beat your wife.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "If that is true (they say that it upset you)",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "She must be monstrous cowardly to let you!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "You hold it right to torture men who come",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "(Heaven knows unwillingly) to aid the law,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "So that by terror of your tongue made dumb",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They can’t tell rightly what they heard or saw,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "“Impeaching credibility,” you call it",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When, seeing an honest looking head, you maul it.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Well, witnesses are fallible⁠—involved",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sometimes in scandals; and ’tis true that they",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Are factors in the problem to be solved,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The judge and jury led by what they say.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But lawyers⁠—they are factors too, their problem",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Being foolish clients and how best to rob them.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "They’ve more to say than witnesses, and more",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Important ’tis that they be truthful, too.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Were’t not, then, right the witness take the floor",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And mercilessly cross-examine you?",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Were truth your jewel (bless us! what a setting!)",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I’ve certain questions that would set you sweating!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Nay, don’t be fidgeting; to ask them here",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Were perilous, for I no license hold",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "To be a blackguard; and no judge is near",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To jail you for replies too sharp and bold.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Besides, it were no easy task to shame you,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And till I’m paid a fee I’ll not defame you.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "You see I lack advantages that you",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Possess, and therefore cannot be so brave.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Who has, and uses, them’s respected; who",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Has not, yet bullies, is a scurril knave⁠—",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Though, faith, the difference is narrow, very,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "By which a knave’s distinguished from a Perry.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "You served, if rightly I remember, once",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A term in the State Legislature, where",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "You figured merely as a harmless dunce,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Save when, ambitious, in the larger air",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Of rhetoric you held the floor a season",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To give yourself for sin sufficient reason.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Thus a great bird whose nature is in doubt",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With difficulty rises from the earth,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "His wide wings spreading with an effort out,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And shows by his unconscionable girth",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "E’er yet the agitated air insult your",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Resentful nose, he’s but a glutted vulture.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Touching these matters I would fain inquire",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "If I but had you on the witness-grill,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Over the slow but efficacious fire",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of cross-examination; and I’d kill",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "The worm with quite insensible gradation,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And quench the fire with great deliberation.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "What, you’re no worse than other lawyers? Well,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I never said you were, my little man.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Do you suppose I run this private Hell",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For one small soul? ’Tis your entire clan",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "I’m trying to barbecue, despite their pleadings.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Get out, you brat! you hamper the proceedings!",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}