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“Hollywood Movie Posters is the oldest memorabilia store in the world located in the same location with the same proprietor.”—KABC, March 19, 2020

All through the first great war to end all wars,
the siren-addled nights of its successor,
up till last week, the sunbaked, time-warped doors
of one slim passage welcomed every passer-
by . . . High noon, yet no one passes by . . .
Magnetic trinkets draw no tourist’s eye.
Motes build tract housing in the grooves of vinyl.
An eerie calm prevails. Not tomblike—shrinal.
I come for solace. Far in back, vitrines
hold Universal Monsters safely penned:
vampires, mummies, wolfmen—every friend
of anxious childhood, surest of vaccines
against the grownup world’s uncertain horrors,
which spread like scentless, soundless fog before us.

—Boris Dralyuk

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