Reasonable Cause

By James Longenbach

This article appeared in the June 19, 2006 edition of The Nation.

June 1, 2006

Imagine cities you've
Inhabited, streets
Paved in lava stone.
You never intended to pray

In the temples, had
Nothing to sell.
Now imagine yourself
Returning to those same cities.
The river flows, the summit

Emerges each morning from the haze.
Hunt for people you knew,
Knock on their doors.
Ask yourself

Subscriber Login

4 ISSUES FREE

Subscribe Now!

The only way to read this article and the full contents of each week's issue of The Nation online is by subscribing to the magazine. Subscribe now and read this article -- and every article published since for the past five years -- right now.

There's no obligation -- try The Nation for four weeks free.

.
Most Read

Issues »

Most Emailed

Issues »

Popular Topics

Blogs

» Campaign 08

"Troopergate" Report Review Rattled By GOP Protests | A veteran of the Bush-v-Gore fight of 2000 is on the ground organizing Palin backers to challenge inquiry into veep candidate's wrongdoing.
John Nichols
Posted at 7:00 PM EST

» The Dreyfuss Report

Thirty Years' War in Afghanistan | It might be unwinnable -- or it just might take several decades. A sober look at that other war.
Robert Dreyfuss

» Editor's Cut

The Woman Greenspan, Rubin & Summers Silenced | How Brooksley Born might have helped us avert this financial meltdown
Katrina vanden Heuvel

» The Notion

Is the Second Superpower of the Cold War Going Down? | The Soviets were bankrupted by an Afghan War that wouldn’t end. Now, is it our turn?
Tom Engelhardt

» The Beat

No More Stolen Elections! | A new campaign seeks to avert a repeat of Florida or Ohio in 2008.
John Nichols

» Capitolism

Expert Failure | How the elites failed us.
Christopher Hayes

» Act Now!

S. Dakota Goes After Choice (Again) | Meet the Rev. Steve Hickey. He believes that S. Dakota has been chosen by God to upend Roe v. Wade.
Peter Rothberg

» And Another Thing

Are You the Very Model of a Modern Vice-President? | Sarah's not the only one with a special skill.
Katha Pollitt