Books & the Arts / February 20, 2024

Jonah

Tomaž Šalamun

how does the sun set?
like snow
what color is the sea?
wide
Jonah are you salty?
I’m salty
Jonah are you a flag?
I’m a flag
all the fireflies are resting

what are the stones like?
green
how do doggies play?
like the poppy
Jonah are you a fish?
I’m a fish
Jonah are you a sea urchin?
I’m a sea urchin
listen to the murmur

Jonah is the roe rushing through the forest
Jonah am I watching the mountain breathe
Jonah are all the houses
have you heard about the rainbow?
what is dew like?
are you asleep?

(Translated from the Slovenian by Brian Henry)

Can we count on you?

In the coming election, the fate of our democracy and fundamental civil rights are on the ballot. The conservative architects of Project 2025 are scheming to institutionalize Donald Trump’s authoritarian vision across all levels of government if he should win.

We’ve already seen events that fill us with both dread and cautious optimism—throughout it all, The Nation has been a bulwark against misinformation and an advocate for bold, principled perspectives. Our dedicated writers have sat down with Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders for interviews, unpacked the shallow right-wing populist appeals of J.D. Vance, and debated the pathway for a Democratic victory in November.

Stories like these and the one you just read are vital at this critical juncture in our country’s history. Now more than ever, we need clear-eyed and deeply reported independent journalism to make sense of the headlines and sort fact from fiction. Donate today and join our 160-year legacy of speaking truth to power and uplifting the voices of grassroots advocates.

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Thank you,
The Editors of The Nation

Tomaž Šalamun

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