I leave my sixteenth year of sighs
and head into my final one
although it seems I’ve just begun
exploring ways to agonize.
The bitter’s sweet, my losses wise,
and life a weight. I pray my run
of bad luck ends; I’d be undone
if Death did shut her lovely eyes.
Sadly, I stay, but long to go,
and long for longing that has passed,
and fail at partial resolutions.
New tears for old desires show
I am unchanged; I have held fast
despite a thousand revolutions.
(translated from the Italian of Petrarch)
—A. M. Juster
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.
