# XL explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A brief epitaph for Porter Ashe, noting his death and burial, with a wry observation that he serves the turf better in death than he did in life as a patron of horse racing.

## Themes in this chapter

### Mortality and Regret

The chapter reflects on death and the finality of the grave, with a hint of irony regarding Porter Ashe's past life.

## Character check-ins

### Porter Ashe

Deceased and buried; his mound is covered with green grass.

## Key lines

> Here Porter Ashe is in the ground Green grows the grass upon his mound. This patron of the turf, I vow, Ne’er served it half so well as now.

Porter Ashe is buried here; grass grows green on his grave. He was a supporter of horse racing, but he never served the turf as well in life as he does now in death.

_A satirical epitaph suggesting that Ashe's corpse fertilizes the grass better than he ever supported the racetrack._

## Links

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