It's all about the heart

I'm not one given to poetry so much. I honestly think if I'm ever told to explicate another poem my head will rip off and soar messily into space. But, this morning I came across the Appalachian poet Jane Merchant. Some may view her work as maudlin and sappy. Carl Sandburg seemed to approve, though.

I found her through J Vernon McGee. McGee just kills me (in a good way) because he was so very plain spoken and in your face, but then he'd turn around and quote anyone from Herodotus or Tacitus to Ogden Nash. And because of this, McGee is one who makes me stop and take note whenever he quoted someone (I like a well-rounded person). The following Merchant verse was offered up by McGee this morning:

If I forgive an injury,
Because resenting would poison me,
I may feel noble; I may feel splendid,
But it isn’t exactly what Christ intended.

Yes, once again, it's all about the heart.