# My Monument explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The narrator reflects on the desire for posthumous fame and a monument built from the critical reviews of his work, hoping that critics will wait until after his death to judge him.

## Themes in this chapter

### Mortality and Regret

The narrator contemplates death and the desire for a lasting monument.

### Art and Criticism

The narrator imagines critics building his monument with their reviews, highlighting the relationship between art and criticism.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The narrator muses on his own mortality and the legacy of his writing.

## Key lines

> It is pleasant to think, as I’m watching my ink A-drying along my paper, That a monument fine will surely be mine When death has extinguished my taper.

The narrator finds comfort in the idea that after he dies, a great monument will be built for him.

_The narrator expresses hope for a posthumous legacy._

> Thus stone upon stone by reviewers thrown, Will make my celebrity deathless.

The critical reviews of his work will accumulate like stones to build an immortal reputation.

_The narrator imagines critics inadvertently contributing to his lasting fame._

> O, I wish I could think, as I gaze at my ink, They’d wait till my carcass is breathless.

The narrator wishes critics would postpone their judgments until after his death.

_The narrator expresses a desire for patience from critics._

## Links

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