# A Prediction explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A satirical poem predicting impossible events that must occur before Field and Terry will fight a duel, mocking political rivalries and societal absurdities.

## Themes in this chapter

### Political Satire

The poem satirizes the impossibility of a duel between Field and Terry by listing fantastical events.

### Deception and Self-Deception

The predictions highlight the absurdity of expecting honesty or integrity from politicians and society.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The narrator delivers a series of absurd predictions.

## Key lines

> When the skies are green with clover, And the cows are flying over;

When the world turns upside down and impossible things happen.

_Sets the tone of absurd impossibility for the entire poem._

> Field and Terry will 'encounter.'

Only then will Field and Terry meet in a duel.

_The central satirical point: the duel is as unlikely as all the listed events._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/a-prediction
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters