{
 "id": "ambrose-bierce/to-either",
 "title": "To Either",
 "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": 101,
 "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": 54,
  "n_stanzas": 9,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 39,
  "max_indent": 3
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Back further than",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "I know, in San",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Francisco dwelt a wealthy man.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So rich was he",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "That none could be",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Wise, good and great in like degree.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "’Tis true he wrought,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "In deed or thought,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "But few of all the things he ought;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But men said: “Who",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Would wish him to?",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Great souls are born to be, not do!”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "One thing, indeed,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "He did, we read,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Which was becoming, all agreed:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Grown provident,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Ere life was spent",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "He built a mighty monument.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "For longer than",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "I know, in San",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Francisco lived a beggar man;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And when in bed",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "They found him dead⁠—",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "“Just like the scamp!” the people said.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "He died, they say,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "On the same day",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "His wealthy neighbor passed away.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But matters it",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "When beggars quit",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Their beats? I answer: Not a bit.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "They got a spade",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "And pick and made",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "A hole, and there the chap was laid.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“He asked for bread,”",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "’Twas neatly said:",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "“He’ll get not even a stone instead.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The years rolled round:",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "His humble mound",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Sank to the level of the ground;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And men forgot",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "That the bare spot",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Was (and was like) the beggar’s lot.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Forgotten, too,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Was t’other, who",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Had reared the monument to woo",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Inconstant Fame,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Though still his name",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Shouted in granite just the same.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "That name, I swear,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "They both did bear",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "The beggar and the millionaire.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That lofty tomb,",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "Then, honored⁠—whom?",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "For argument here’s ample room.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}