Though the influence of Therese of Lisieux has spread far and wide since her canonization, her gifts as a poet have remained largely unknown to English speaking readers. Alan Bancroft's admirable translation captures the intelligence and fervor of her fifty poems that celebrate her joyous surrender to God.

Despite their importance, the poems of St. Thérèse of Lisieux are among the least known of her writings, previously available only in highly edited selections. Here for the first time in English is the complete collection of Thérèse's poetry, faithfully translated from the French critical edition by Donald Kinney, O.C.D. Also included are a preface by Jean Guitton, a general introduction to Thérèse's spiritual and poetic development, 6 photos, and individual introductions to each of the poems, indicating its background and significance. The volume closes with the French text of the poems and a fully linked index to their major themes and images. Together with the ICS Publications editions of Thérèse of Lisieux's Story of a Soul, Last Conversations, Letters, Plays, and Prayers, this is an indispensible work for all those who love the life and spiritual message of "the greatest saint of modern times."

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873 - 1897), also known as "The Little Flower of Jesus," was a French Carmelite nun. She is one of the most popular and influential Catholic Saints since apostolic times, together with St. Francis of Assisi. This collection of poems, translated by S.L. Emery, brings together St. Thérèse's love poems to Jesus, poems of praise and thankfulness, poems that reflect on Jesus' life on Earth as well as a set of poems in honor of Jeanne D'Arc. The poems speak of her desire to become more and more like Christ and Mary and, above all, to serve God.

St. Therese was born in Alencon, France, January 2, 1873. Therese, a singularly precocious, charming and beautiful child set her heart upon entering the convent at the age of fifteen. Her wish was granted nearly to the letter, or on April 9, 1888, when only a little more than three months past her fifteenth birthday, she was received into the Carmel­ite monastery of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Immaculate Conception, at Lisieux, France. There she lived for nine years a life of remarkably joyous and childlike or angelic holiness and there September 30, 1897, she died. Her name in religion was Sister Teresa of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face. In her character she so exemplified the loveliness and the sanctity of the Child Jesus Himself, and to such a singular degree throughout her whole short life did she love and serve her Lord, that the Mother Prioress bade her write her memories, which, with entire openness and simple obedience, she did.

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