# CCXII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A brief aphorism about the optimist who, blinded by his own perspective, mistakes stumbling for progress.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

The optimist's self-deception is highlighted as he misinterprets his own failure as progress.

## Key lines

> Wearing his eyes in his heart, the optimist falls over his own feet, and calls it Progress.

The optimist, guided by emotion rather than reason, stumbles through life and deludes himself into believing his mistakes are advancements.

_A critique of blind optimism and the rationalization of failure._

## Links

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