First Things RSS Feed - David Mason https://www.firstthings.com/author/david-mason en-us Copyright 2025 First Things. All Rights Reserved. ft@firstthings.com (The Editors) ft@firstthings.com (The Editors) Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:54:20 -0500 https://d2201k5v4hmrsv.cloudfront.net/img/favicon-196.png First Things RSS Feed Image https://www.firstthings.com/rss/author/david-mason 60 Les Murray, Dissident Poet https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2019/04/les-murray-dissident-poet https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2019/04/les-murray-dissident-poet Tue, 30 Apr 2019 11:55:00 -0400 Les Murray, who died at age 80 on April 29, has been called Australia’s greatest poet, but such an encomium meant little to him.

Continue Reading »

]]> The Lawrence Tree https://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/10/the-lawrence-tree https://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/10/the-lawrence-tree Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Outside Taos, New Mexico

Continue Reading »

]]> From a Line in a Novel https://www.firstthings.com/article/2008/10/005-from-a-line-in-a-novel https://www.firstthings.com/article/2008/10/005-from-a-line-in-a-novel Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400 “Why was this splendid monster given life?”
“Thomas M. Disch, Camp Concentration

The rent is due, and a pelagic grief
stretches far beyond what the eye can see.
Why was this splendid monster given life
only to end it all in misery?
Stretching far beyond what the eye can see
in ruled lines, the unpronounceable nouns
have come to end their lives in misery,
their faces painted bright as circus clowns.
Those ruled lines of unpronounceable nouns
once taught the autodidact orthoepy.
With faces painted bright as circus clowns,
the little toasters keep him company
but he has aimed a plaything at himself.
The rent is due, and a pelagic grief
will flood the many volumes on the shelf.
Why was this splendid monster given life?

Continue Reading »

]]> After the Dinner https://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/10/003-after-the-dinner https://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/10/003-after-the-dinner Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400 The friend who tells me I’m a selfish ass
is drunk, so maybe I should let it pass
before his acid eats out my insides,
the torture chamber where my self abides.

It is a clean and comfortable room
with open windows that dispel the gloom,
but there on my imaginary rack
I am my own tormenter, wearing black.

Continue Reading »

]]> Work Song https://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/08/work-song https://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/08/work-song Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400 From the day my old man hazed the young cadet
to now, as I pull on my socks,
how many universes have been born?
That eager Ensign, still too wet
behind the ears, became the king of jocks,
an astronaut amid the alien corn.

Continue Reading »

]]>