The First and the Last of Everything The First and the Last of Everything
The first fine dawn of life on earth The first cry of Man in the first light The first firefly flickering at night The first Noble Savage with the first erection The first song of love and forty cries of despair The first voyage of Vikings westward The first sighting of the New World from the crow’s nest of a Spanish galleon The first Pale Face meeting the first Native American The first Dutch trader in Mannahatta The first settler on the first frontier The first Home Sweet Home so dear The first wagon train westward The first sighting of the Pacific by Lewis & Clark The first cry of “Mark, twain!” on the Mississippi The first desegregation by Huck & Jim on a raft at night The first buffalo-head nickel and the last buffalo The first barbed-wire fence and the last of the open range The last cowboy on the last frontier The first skyscraper in America The first home run hit at Yankee Stadium The first ballpark hot dog with mustard The last War to End All Wars The last Wobbly and the last Catholic Anarchist The last living member of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade The last bohemian in a beret The last homespun politician and the first stolen election The first plane to hit the first Twin Tower The birth of a vast national paranoia The first president to become an international criminal for crimes against humanity making America a terrorist state The dark dawn of American corporate fascism The next-to-last free speech radio The next-to-last independent newspaper raising hell The next-to-last independent bookstore with a mind of its own The next-to-last Lefty looking for Obama Nirvana The first fine day of the Wall Street Occupation to set forth upon this continent a new nation! Click here to listen to Ferlinghetti read this poem.
Nov 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Lawrence Ferlinghetti
The Democratic Promise of Occupy Wall Street The Democratic Promise of Occupy Wall Street
Will it last? Skeptics are entitled to their doubts, but I'm confident that, as with the Populist movement of a century ago, OWS will bring lasting change
Nov 22, 2011 / Books & the Arts / William Greider
The People’s Library of Occupy Wall Street Lives On The People’s Library of Occupy Wall Street Lives On
The NYPD has twice raided the occupation’s collection, confiscating and destroying books. But never underestimate the power of librarians.
Nov 22, 2011 / William Scott
Noted. Noted.
George Zornick on the exposed anti-OWS memo, Ari Berman on Werner Herzog’s death penalty film, Max Strasser on Egypt’s Mubarak-era debt
Nov 22, 2011 / Various Contributors
Obama’s China Syndrome Obama’s China Syndrome
In a momentous strategic shift, President Obama has begun a military buildup in East Asia in a foolish attempt to intimidate China. It will bring blowback, and a greater risk of wa...
Nov 22, 2011 / Michael T. Klare
You Cannot Evict an Idea You Cannot Evict an Idea
Bloomberg's raid on Occupy Wall Street was, above all, a cowardly act. But Occupy will live on with or without Liberty Square.
Nov 16, 2011 / The Editors
The Keystone Victory The Keystone Victory
The moment couldn't have been more ripe for a real advance in the fight against climate change.
Nov 16, 2011 / Mark Hertsgaard
Police Surveillance in the Digital Age: 24/7, Without a Warrant Police Surveillance in the Digital Age: 24/7, Without a Warrant
That's what the Obama administration is arguing for, in a crucial case now before the Supreme Court.
Nov 16, 2011 / David Cole
Noted. Noted.
Jessica Weisberg on Russell Pearce and the GOP and Jonah Engle on the fight to end the War on Drugs.
Nov 16, 2011 / Various Contributors