# CLXXXVIII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A brief admonition against allowing a woman to ask forgiveness, as it leads to self-justification through accusation.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

The chapter warns that a request for forgiveness is a deceptive first step that leads to self-justification by blaming the other.

## Key lines

> Do not permit a woman to ask forgiveness, for that is only the first step. The second is justification of herself by accusation of you.

Never let a woman apologize, because it will inevitably lead to her defending herself by blaming you.

_This cynical observation suggests that apologies are manipulative and lead to counter-accusation._

## Links

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