# CXLVIII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A brief aphoristic chapter suggesting that divine creation of beauty is immediately countered by diabolical record-keeping, implying a cosmic balance or corruption.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

The devil's register implies that beauty may be a form of deception or temptation, tracked by evil.

## Key lines

> When God makes a beautiful woman, the devil opens a new register.

Whenever a beautiful woman is created, the devil begins a new account of her influence or sins.

_Highlights the theme of inherent corruption or moral accounting tied to beauty._

## Links

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