# A Song in Praise explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The narrator offers a satirical hymn to Blunder, celebrating it as a golden idol for those who fail, and reflecting on the paradox of serving and committing blunders while envying Peter Robertson's seemingly blessed life.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The poem satirizes the worship of failure and the double standards between the narrator and his critics.

### Deception and Self-Deception

The narrator adores Blunder while acknowledging the pretense and self-deception involved in serving it.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker who praises Blunder and reflects on his own relationship with failure.

### Peter Robertson

Mentioned as someone whose life the narrator envies for its apparent blessings.

## Key lines

> Hail, blessed Blunder! golden idol, hail! — Clay-footed deity of all who fail.

The narrator praises Blunder as a golden idol with feet of clay, worshipped by those who fail.

_Opens the poem with ironic reverence for failure._

> Let me, at seasons opportune and fit, By turns adore thee and by turns commit.

The narrator vows to alternately worship Blunder and commit blunders at suitable times.

_Highlights the cyclical relationship with failure._

> If such a life with blessings be not fraught, I envy Peter Robertson for naught.

If such a life is not full of blessings, then the narrator has no reason to envy Peter Robertson.

_Concludes with a conditional envy of Peter Robertson's seemingly fortunate life._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/a-song-in-praise
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters