# In Cuba explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The narrator reflects on the creation of a new nation in Cuba under the current administration, only to be confronted by a raven that gleefully anticipates feeding on soldiers rather than the nation itself. The poem critiques the administration's hypocrisy and the grim reality behind the facade of freedom.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The administration's creation of a 'nation' is revealed as a hollow gesture, with the raven's focus on soldiers highlighting the true cost and corruption behind the political act.

### Political Satire

The poem satirizes the administration's claim of creating a free nation, using the raven's dialogue to expose the underlying violence and deception.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The narrator observes the raven and reflects on the administration's actions in Cuba.

## Key lines

> Our Administration Had made a new nation⁠— As new as a nation could be.

The current government claims to have established a brand-new country.

_Sarcastic tone underscores the artificiality of the nation-building effort._

> ’Tis soldiers that mostly Appeal to my ghostly Unusual appetite, see?

The raven admits it prefers to feast on soldiers, not nations.

_Reveals the grim reality of war and death behind political rhetoric._

## Links

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