# Hospitality explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The speaker questions a host's selective hospitality, noting that they are invited to dine and praise the wine while others who are truly in need of a meal are overlooked.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The host's selective invitation highlights a hypocritical form of hospitality that serves self-interest rather than genuine generosity.

## Key lines

> Why ask me, Gastrogogue, to dine, (Unless to praise your rascal wine) Yet never ask some luckless sinner Who needs, as I do not, a dinner?

Why invite me to dinner, unless it's just to flatter your cheap wine, while you never invite some poor soul who actually needs a meal more than I do?

_The speaker criticizes the host for inviting someone who can praise the wine rather than someone truly hungry._

## Links

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