Night Soil

Night Soil

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A random walk, its ordinary motion
blurring chronology. Behind, a
seascape. As if on a ship’s deck.

Fear of defeat is an old habit. All this fuss, with my
hat pushed back. Honeyed phantastic. En-
raptured soul. Another blow.

From the end of the corridor, at the kitchen
window. These frosts are cruel. I am not
up to them. Out on the balcony, basking.

History is trash. Elaborate battles make
peace and then, after spectacular defeat,
I may go and I may not.

I’m in a bad mood, forever. We bring no
resemblance. Torment and dreams. Grotesque and in-
clement. Always the same amazing luck.

Rest before the fireplace, forget
fine spacing. To control noise by
attacking the odds. Grope for the knob.

Shutting out light and air. Cold stone
floor. Sinking. Devouring
pit. Dissolve, now, the dungeon.

Streaks of light stream from your
shadow. Redisposed. Clouds are not
simply carried. We observe words and winds.

The door slams behind us. Not so much
forced by the sun as simply
coasting under our own inertia.

The knives of reality. Repeat the names.
Doves, when they fight. Scorn is best and
yes, we may go and we may not.

We cannot back down

We now confront a second Trump presidency.

There’s not a moment to lose. We must harness our fears, our grief, and yes, our anger, to resist the dangerous policies Donald Trump will unleash on our country. We rededicate ourselves to our role as journalists and writers of principle and conscience.

Today, we also steel ourselves for the fight ahead. It will demand a fearless spirit, an informed mind, wise analysis, and humane resistance. We face the enactment of Project 2025, a far-right supreme court, political authoritarianism, increasing inequality and record homelessness, a looming climate crisis, and conflicts abroad. The Nation will expose and propose, nurture investigative reporting, and stand together as a community to keep hope and possibility alive. The Nation’s work will continue—as it has in good and not-so-good times—to develop alternative ideas and visions, to deepen our mission of truth-telling and deep reporting, and to further solidarity in a nation divided.

Armed with a remarkable 160 years of bold, independent journalism, our mandate today remains the same as when abolitionists first founded The Nation—to uphold the principles of democracy and freedom, serve as a beacon through the darkest days of resistance, and to envision and struggle for a brighter future.

The day is dark, the forces arrayed are tenacious, but as the late Nation editorial board member Toni Morrison wrote “No! This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”

I urge you to stand with The Nation and donate today.

Onwards,

Katrina vanden Heuvel
Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

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