# CXIX explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The chapter reflects on love as a form of distracted attention, shifting from self-contemplation to the consideration of one's dream.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Communication

The chapter defines love as a distracted attention, turning from self to dream.

## Key lines

> Love is a distracted attention: from contemplation of one’s self one turns to consider one’s dream.

Love shifts focus from oneself to an idealized vision or dream.

_This aphorism encapsulates the chapter's theme of love as a redirection of attention._

## Links

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