Sand and gravel lie still on the bed of the river.
Peaks like spear-points pierce the clouds on either shore.
Fishing rafts and a passenger boat move through the stream,
surprising reflections awake as from a dream.
Whence come these mountain songs, this laughing talk?
Surely this is Heaven in the world of man.
Swiftly a fish eagle dives to the riverbed;
an egret softly sings, turning her head.
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.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
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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