Readers of “First Thoughts” should also visit and subscribe to Helen Rittelmeyer’s blog , the latest addition to our online lineup.
Helen’s started with an uncanny side-by-side reading of The Brothers Karamazov and “Arrested Development,” a critique of David Brooks’ humility syllabus , comments on Nigerian soccer , and advice to aspiring writers .
Welcome aboard, Helen!
Lift My Chin, Lord
Lift my chin, Lord,Say to me,“You are not whoYou feared to be,Not Hecate, quite,With howling sound,Torch held…
Letters
Two delightful essays in the March issue, by Nikolas Prassas (“Large Language Poetry,” March 2025) and Gary…
Spring Twilight After Penance
Let’s say you’ve just comeFrom confession. Late sunPours through the budding treesThat mark the brown creek washing Itself…