Translated by Alan Bancroft, published by Gracewing.

The inspiration behind combining the writings of Elizabeth the Carmelite with Marmion the Benedictine is a fortuitous one. Alan Bancroft who has conceived this little treasure has not only translated the poems but also provided a third of the book's volume by way of introduction. What he has achieved is to illustrate how both are singing the same song, one an exquisitely tuned contralto, the other a tenor, and both capable of reaching octaves not annotated in the score.

Elizabeth is the glorious and simple stuff of the early virgin martyrs, a tradition that crystalized into Carmel, where it still lives. Dom Marmion is pure St. Paul, a true twin born into another age. These two cast the same shadow because they walk in the same light.

I cannot comment on the quality of Mr. Bancroft's translation but, given the transcendence of the subject, the poems flow gracefully without cataracts or surging rapids. Occasionally they catch moonlight.

Always believe in love! Whatever be the case...

God in your heart asleep, you think? Well, understand

You're not to wake Him up! For that's another grace.

The trouble with people of acknowledged holiness is that their reputations often retreat into aspic. To criticize them can label a writers as insensitive, and to laud them usually results in staid, sober and insipid religiosity. But Alan Bancroft is so at home with his subjects that he can introduce a Chestertonian sleuth in a pub, and quote Margery Allingham, and make both Elizabeth and Dom Marmion relaxed in their company.

One quirkish observation concerns God the Father not having a body and therefore not having a beard. I really don't think any reader intrepid enough to have reached page 12 would be clinging to the notion of divine whiskers.

When Elizabeth of the Trinity was still Elizabeth Catez she was asked what she could find to say to God during her long perods before the Blessed Sacrament. "Oh, Madame," she replied. "We love one another." That anecdote starts the book off, and that's the spirit that permeates all these pages.

Review courtesy of Catholic Family

Theotokos Catholic Books - Book Reviews Section - www.theotokos.org.uk