# LXIII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A single aphorism asserting that truth is so valuable that even falsehood must incorporate it to be effective.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

The aphorism directly addresses the relationship between truth and falsehood, suggesting that deception relies on truth.

## Key lines

> Truth is so good a thing that falsehood can not afford to be without it.

Truth is so valuable that even lies must include some truth to be believable.

_The chapter's sole statement, a paradoxical observation on the necessity of truth within deception._

## Links

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