The dogwoods will not bloom this year,
We feel it in trunks and limbs,
No pink crosses to calm our fear,
White X’s for our O’s.
Packed endurance of snow too long,
Twigs and logs needed for fire;
Spring dragged in bereft of song,
Fruit and flower in vain desire.
They won’t bloom after such a freeze
And the orchards will follow suit,
No pink cheeks for our apple trees,
White U’s for out I’s.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
War abroad. Socialists on the rise. AI upending human life. Endless uproar online. The modern attention economy doesn’t want readers — it wants users enslaved to the tyranny of the present.
First Things is the antidote: literary excellence, timeless truths, and a fixed point of reference in a culture that has lost its bearings.
But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Giovanni Del Piero, Director of the Editor’s Circle, at gdelpiero@firstthings.com or 212-627-1985.
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