TY - BOOK AU - Bierce,Ambrose TI - Shapes of Clay AV - PS PY - 2004/// CY - Salt Lake City, UT PB - Project Gutenberg KW - American poetry N1 - Release date is 2004-06-01; Etext produced by Rick Niles, Kat Jeter, John Hagerson and PG Distributed Proofreaders HTML file produced by David Widger; Original publication data not identified N2 - "Shapes of Clay" by Ambrose Bierce is a collection of poetry written in the early 20th century. The poems explore various themes, including the intricacies of human existence, society's follies, and philosophical musings on life and death. With a satirical edge, Bierce reflects on the human condition through vivid imagery and thoughtful verse, likely appealing to readers interested in classic poetry with a critical lens on society. The opening of the collection introduces a dreamlike exploration of a city and its duality, capturing the vibrancy of urban life alongside its inevitable decay. Bierce's imagery evokes a sense of grandeur as well as desolation, contrasting the lofty aspirations of humanity with the melancholic inevitabilities of existence. He presents an introspective journey filled with philosophical questions about mortality and the legacies we leave behind, setting the tone for the reflective nature of the poems that follow. Through this opening portion, Bierce invites readers to contemplate their place in a world marked by both the glory and the futility of human endeavor. (This is an automatically generated summary.) UR - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12658 ER -