"A scintillant, soul-searching garland of poems, where words continually probe and engage with the mystery of the Word. These are voices that you will find yourself coming back to again and again, language capable of encountering the beauty, joy, terror and consolations that are at the very heart of our Christ-haunted, homing existence." —Paul Mariani, author of All That Will Be New: Poems and The Mystery of It All: The Vocation of Poetry in the Twilight of Modernity "Beginning with Jill Baumgaertner's insightful and informative Introduction, which includes a fascinating survey of Christian poetry since 1884, Taking Root in the Heart gathers richly varied poems by some of the major Christian poets of the past twenty-five years. As we'd expect, many of the poems reflect on Christian themes. But the delightful surprise is how many engage purely secular scenes or motifs, bringing in just a single 'mercy' or 'pray' or biblical allusion—with the effect of giving us the sense that everything in our lives is imbued with God's presence." —Peggy Rosenthal, author of The Poets' Jesus "Taking Root in the Heart contains poems that place us, the readers, so firmly in concrete, daily experiences that we not only reflect upon, but feel God’s presence—through the faces of children on a school bus or a letter from a death-row inmate or a conversation with a fellow airline passenger. The divine becomes palpable and immediate when we, along with the personae, watch birds in the backyard, examine an illuminated manuscript or attend a performance in a small 'parka-packed' storefront theatre. What a gift to have all these poets from the Christian Century together in one volume! Their poems sharpen our attention to the ways in which we encounter opportunities for grace in our everyday lives." —Mary Ann B. Miller, founding editor of Presence and professor of English, Caldwell University
"As anthologist, Dr. Baumgaertner is more gardener than florist, and this sumptuous harvest, a selection of exemplars, each in the context of generous registers and range of their poetic voices. Thanks be, is the thing I say, thanks be!" —Thomas Lynch, author of Bone Rosary: New & Selected Poems "If there's such a thing as a fine arts gallery for poetry, this is it. Here are current voices, lost voices, voices new or beloved, all thoughtfully and lovingly arranged. Baumgaertner, as a curator, is well-familiar with her subjects, gifted with extraordinary sensitivity to their uniqueness. But it's her ear for how they speak to and through one another that makes this curation unforgettable." —Sarah Arthur, Between Midnight and Dawn: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Lent, Holy Week, and Eastertide "This is a collection to share with friends who are spiritual seekers, poetry readers or both when occasion requires a gift—invite them to widen their own circles at Baumgaertner’s gathering." —Presence Journal