# XII: A Wasted Life explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The chapter presents a satirical epitaph for a man named Morgan who joined the Masons with the intent to betray their secrets, only to find there were none to reveal, leading to his suicide by his own hand. The poem dismisses rumors that the Masons killed him, suggesting they would not even bother with such a foul secret.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

Morgan's self-deception in believing the Masons held great secrets, and the deception of the public about the nature of the order, are central to the poem's satire.

### Political Satire

The poem satirizes the conspiracy theories and moral panic surrounding the Masons, mocking the idea that they would kill to protect a secret that does not exist.

## Character check-ins

### Morgan

The subject of the epitaph, a man who joined the Masons to betray their secrets but found nothing to reveal and died by his own hand.

## Key lines

> Here lies the unspirited clay, Who secrets of Masonry swore to betray.

This is the grave of the lifeless body of a man who vowed to reveal the secrets of Freemasonry.

_Introduces Morgan as a traitor to the Masonic order._

> At last in chagrin by his own hand he fell⁠— There was nothing to learn, there was nothing to tell.

In the end, frustrated and humiliated, he killed himself because he discovered there were no secrets to learn or reveal.

_Reveals the ironic twist: the secrets he sought did not exist._

> The Masons are said to have killed him. Not so⁠— Even a secret so foul, they’re compelled to forego.

People claim the Masons murdered him, but that is false; they would not even bother to keep such a worthless secret.

_Dismisses the conspiracy theory with dark humor._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/xii-a-wasted-life
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters