# The Lord's Prayer on a Coin explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The narrator examines a quarter-eagle coin inscribed with the Lord's Prayer, noting grammatical oddities and praising the frankness of the pious mind that would join prayer and coin.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The poem critiques the blending of religious piety with money, suggesting hypocrisy in inscribing a prayer on currency.

### Deception and Self-Deception

The narrator points out grammatical errors in the inscription, hinting at a self-deceptive or careless piety.

## Key lines

> Upon this quarter-eagle’s leveled face, The Lord’s Prayer, legibly inscribed, I trace.

I see the Lord's Prayer clearly written on this coin.

_The narrator observes the inscription on the coin._

> “Our Father which”⁠—the pronoun there is funny, And shows the scribe to have addressed the money⁠—

The use of 'which' is odd and suggests the scribe was speaking to the coin itself.

_The narrator comments on the grammatical oddity._

> “Which art in Heaven”⁠—an error this, no doubt: The preposition should be stricken out.

The phrase 'in Heaven' is a mistake; the preposition should be removed.

_The narrator points out a grammatical error in the inscription._

> I only have designed To praise the frankness of the pious mind Which thought it natural and right to join, With rare significancy, prayer and coin.

I only want to praise the honest piety that thought it fitting to combine prayer and money.

_The narrator sarcastically praises the frankness of combining religion and currency._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/the-lord-s-prayer-on-a-coin
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters