Shapes of Clay

audiobook

Shapes of Clay

by Ambrose Bierce

EN·~4 hours·237 chapters

Chapters

237 total

SHAPES OF CLAY - By Ambrose Bierce - Author Of "In The Midst Of Life," "Can Such Things Be?" "Black Beetles In Amber," And "Fantastic Fables" - 1903

0:09

DEDICATION.

0:12

PREFACE.

2:57

SHAPES OF CLAY

0:01

THE PASSING SHOW.

3:34

ELIXER VITAE.

1:54

CONVALESCENT.

1:55

AT THE CLOSE OF THE CANVASS.

2:13

NOVUM ORGANUM.

0:21

GEOTHEOS.

1:14

Description

A vivid, dream‑like panorama opens the collection, where towering palaces and golden domes loom over a restless multitude, while darker, somber spires hint at the inevitable passage of time. The poet moves between awe of human ambition and a quiet meditation on mortality, letting the city’s glittering façades converse with the hidden, stone‑bound homes of the dead. Through this contrast, readers glimpse a world where grandeur and fragility coexist, prompting both wonder and a subtle, unsettling introspection.

The verses that follow were originally scattered across newspapers, now gathered and reshaped into a single, unapologetically candid voice. The author defends the right to preserve even the most contentious pieces, arguing that satire and criticism belong to the public sphere despite potential offense. Listeners will be drawn into a tapestry of humor, seriousness, and sentiment, each poem inviting them to discern its tone and contemplate the delicate balance between creation and decay.

Collections

Browse all

Details

Language

en

Duration

~4 hours (268K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Etext produced by Rick Niles, Kat Jeter, John Hagerson and PG Distributed Proofreaders HTML file produced by David Widger

Release date

2004-06-01

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Bierce

1842–1913

Best known for sharp wit and unsettling stories, this American writer turned his Civil War experience into some of the most memorable fiction of the 19th century. His work mixes dark humor, psychological tension, and a famously skeptical view of human nature.

View all books

You may also like