We upper-crust must be discussed
In deferential accents.
We want not, waste, exhibit taste,
Possess exquisite tax-sense.
In France’s terror we were there,
Our necks outstretched for ax-mince,
But here our dough’s so long-ago
We’ve mostly been relaxed since.
We middle-crust of course are just
(Between two poles) the middle.
We see the pie up in the sky
And want our slice, but it’ll
Take more than faith (the Profit saith)
For we to solve the riddle.
In short, a lot of us are not
Content with second fiddle.
Us lower-crust are full of lust
For wrestling, beer, and Nascar.
We live on crumbs but spend big sums
To find where bigger bass are.
If you like books we’ll hate your looks
(That’s what we’ll kick your ass for).
Our necks are red-must be inbred.
Who says there ain’t no class war?
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.
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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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