3

A few days ago, Words # 3 came along with a few misquoted (my bad) verses by Edwin Markham (1852-1940).  The correct text is:

He drew a circle that shut me out.

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.

But love and I had the wit to win.

We drew a circle and took him in.

The lines brought in several replies commenting on the poem. The words had meant much long ago to one reader. A former teacher had used it in his class, drawing it on the blackboard. One reader remembered reciting it in a high school ceremony. And a retired minister had copied and filed these lines:

“There is the story that Edwin Markham held in his heart a grudge against a banker who had violated his trust and left him penniless. After that experience, the poet could not write any more poetry. He would sit at his desk for long periods of time, trying to write but unable to make anything come out. Unconsciously. While he sat there, he was drawing circles on the sheet of paper instead of writing poetry. Then the thought came to him: ‘I’ve got to forgive him, or I shall die!’ Looking at the circles which his subconscious mind had urged him to draw on the paper, he thought of the great encircling, forgiving love of God, and then said aloud, ‘I forgive him!’ Then he wrote his famous lines. With the resentment washed out of his soul, Markham began to write again, and during the next twenty years penned his masterpieces.”

Markham’s lines as they stand do have force, and a careful look at  a few of the words gives it even more. For example, I invite you to look up Whispers #3 on the website (www.Johnstreed.com) where you will find  that ”love” does not just mean “like” but something much different, much more. And also look up “forgive” in Whispers #15 on the website. The word is not in the poem, but the idea is. Before you look it up, try to define it yourself. That will not be easy.  And as for “wit”. That word in the poem means ‘making a choice.’

These definitions bring Markham’s words home. Is there anyone you should forgive? Is your love deeper than ‘like’? Have you made the important choices? Have you drawn the right circles? In our torn and soiled culture, will you have the wit to win?