Shapes of Clay is considered by some to be the major collection of Bierce's later poetry. As in previous volumes, many of the poems collected had been previously published in newspapers and magazines and were subsequently reprinted in this version with alterations. As in all Bierce's work, his poetry is witty, caustic and ironic. Some of the poems included are: Novum Organum "In Bacon see the culminating prime, / Of Anglo-Saxon intellect and crime;" For a Certain Critic "Let lowly themes engage my humble pen -- Stupidities of critics, not of men;" and Consolation "Little's the good to sit and grieve, / Because the serpent tempted Eve. / Better to wipe your eyes and take a club and go out and kill a snake."

Author Biography

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (1842 - 1914) was an American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist and satirist. He wrote the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and compiled a satirical lexicon, The Devil's Dictionary. His vehemence as a critic, his motto "Nothing matters" and the sardonic view of human nature that informed his work, all earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce."