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Heavy water, holy water, we are weighed on
By your waterweight, you proton-
Poisoned fission vintage we dare not sip.
A drip weighs torrents on the tongue and lip.
Tritium, trinity water, three-in-one God’s
Sweat condensed on a fuel rod’s throb,
Heavy as falling heavens, you weigh kilotons,
You weigh the source sin rinsed into the font:
Biting the apple, splitting the forbidden atom
One crime committed in common with Adam.
Contamination, come and enter,
Spill in us and make us epicenter;
The taste of knowledge is the aftertaste of loss.
This sorrow bent the knees beneath the cross.

”Amit Majmudar

Dear Reader,

You have a decision to make: double or nothing.

For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.

In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.

So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?

Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
GIVE NOW