This edition, which offers a bilingual selection of poetry and selected prose translated into English by the nun-author Cecilia del Nacimiento (1570-1646), increases contemporary scholars' access to, and therefore understanding of, the Spanish early modern religious and intellectual milieu. A significant, rarely-studied mystic and poet, and member of the Discalced Carmelite Order in the years after St. Teresa of Avila's death, Cecilia del Nacimiento exemplifies the range of possibilities used by women writers who worked within the conventions of hegemonic discourses, while creating a unique literary voice. --Stacey Schlau Professor, Department of Languages and Culture and the Women's Studies Program West Chester University, Pennsylvania

Every heart deserves a voice. From the jungles of Cambodia and a chance encounter with a local medicine woman comes Be(loved), poet Dakota Adan’s debut collection of poems, tracing the epic question of what it means to be loved. Hailed as “an essential book for those seeking self-love,” this heartfelt anthology lends voice to the heartbreak and healing of our soul’s quest to reunite with whom we always hoped we could be—ourselves.

This book explores the life and teaching of John of the Cross, the Spanish mystic who remains a major source of Western thought on spirituality, theology and mysticism. Leading academics discuss the importance and legacy of John from historical, theological, philosophical, pastoral, ecumenical, psychological and literary perspectives. The book focuses on his place in Carmel, his understanding of desire, and the role of transformation in his theology. Approaching John in the context of the late medieval mystical tradition, it offers a timely re-evaluation of his work and a significant reassessment of his relevance in the context of current debates.

The Song of Songs is a fascinating text. Read as an allegory of God’s love for Israel, the Church, or individual believers, it became one of the most influential texts from the Bible. This volume includes twenty-three essays that cover the Song’s reception history from antiquity to the present. They illuminate the richness of this reception history, paying attention to diverse interpretations in commentaries, sermons, and other literature, as well as the Song’s impact on spirituality, theological and intellectual debates, and the arts.

In Spain, the two hundred years that elapsed between the beginning of the early modern period and the final years of the Habsburg Empire saw a profusion of works written by women. Whether secular or religious, noble or middle class, early modern Spanish women actively composed creative works such as poetry, prose narratives, and plays. The Routledge Research Companion to Early Modern Spanish Women Writers covers the broad array of different kinds of writings – literary as well as extra-literary – that these women wrote, taking into consideration their subject positions and the cultural and historical contexts that influenced and were influenced by them. Beyond merely recognizing the individual women authors who had influence in literary, religious, and intellectual circles, this Research Companion investigates their participation in these circles through their writings, as well as the ways in which their texts informed Spain’s cultural production during the early modern period. In order to contextualize women’s writings across the historical and cultural spectrum of early modern Spain, the Research Companion is divided into six sections of general thematic interest: Women’s Worlds; Conventual Spaces; Secular Literature; Women in the Public Sphere; Private Circles; Women Travelers. Each section is subdivided into chapters that focus on specific issues or topics.

This book is a compilation of original inspirational narrative, poetry, prose, art and lyrics, in five parts, honoring the sacredness of human existence and life experiences. All of the poems rhyme and have a rhythm of an almost musical sense. Some contain profound messages regarding present worldly conditions. It inspires to search deep within the soul and reevaluate and explore our priorities and personal relationships, as well as the relationship and love we have with and for ourselves, God, Nature, and Humankind. This work is un-convoluted, honest, compassionate and touching. It is also very clear. This artist finds a way with words that is so understandable and easy to relate to that you don't have to have a degree in literature, philosophy, or even be a fan of the art to appreciate all she has to say. In part three all of the poems pertain to romantic and sensual love. Each one is a short story in itself. Some of them are very personal pieces which acknowledge and express the deepest of human emotions. This is done with truthfulness, wisdom and grace. For the closing pieces the author shares a heartfelt eulogy written for her grandmother (to whom the book is dedicated) and a last poem found by her daughter (shortly before completion of this collection) which was written by the author in 1966. It is a variable testimony of the truthfulness and purity of her work.

"The gift of Oliver's poetry is that she communicates the beauty she finds in the world and makes it unforgettable" ( Miami Herald ). This has never been truer than in Long Life, a luminous collection of seventeen essays and ten poems. With the grace and precision that are the hallmarks of her work, Oliver shows us how writing "is a way of offering praise to the world" and suggests we see her poems as "little alleluias." Whether describing a goosefish stranded at low tide, the feeling of being baptized by the mist from a whale's blowhole, or the "connection between soul and landscape," Oliver invites readers to find themselves and their experiences at the center of her world. In Long Life she also speaks of poets and writers: Wordsworth's "whirlwind" of "beauty and strangeness"; Hawthorne's "sweet-tempered" side; and Emerson's belief that "a man's inclination, once awakened to it, would be to turn all the heavy sails of his life to a moral purpose." With consummate craftsmanship, Mary Oliver has created a breathtaking volume sure to add to her reputation as "one of our very best poets" (New York Times Book Review ).

This collection is a combination of romantic, philosophic, mystical, and spiritual poetry written to warm even the coldest of hearts. They come from a very inspired place that speaks of a great desire to understand ourselves. The elusive butterfly in all of us, that out of its innate curiosity to learn and experience things by necessity, transforms itself. They also speak of the unique place that we all share in the divine tapestry we call life and how we are all intimately connected. The poems reflect on the betrayal and hypocrisy that we all inevitably encounter on our journey through life. Most importantly, a message of hope and joy runs through them, so that we are always reminded that even in our darkest moments, the light of truth and love has never abandoned us. The book also shares some of the stories that inspired and motivated some of the poems. They run the gamut, from gut-wrenching tearjerkers to deeply impassioned pleas for universal kindness to the whimsical frolic of a playful little child. Included is a section titled Musings on Life. These are philosophic perspectives intended to be life lessons for the reader. Its been said that not all men are masters, but all masters have been men. Along that same line of thinking, the author feels that although not all philosophers are poets, all poets are philosophers.

Still on Fire is a memoir of religious wounding and spiritual healing, of judgment and forgiveness, and of social activism in a world that is in our hands. Phillips traveled the globe on a one-woman peace pilgrimage, raised the consciousness of women, faced her privilege on a trip to India, and is working to dismantle structural racism.

Christine de Pizan (ca. 1364–ca. 1431) has long been recognized as France’s first professional woman of letters, and interest in her voluminous and wide-ranging corpus has been steadily rising for decades. During the tumultuous later years of the Hundred Years’ War, Christine’s lone but strong feminine voice could be heard defending women, expounding the highest ideals for good governance, and lamenting France’s troubled times alongside her own personal trials. In The Mutability of Fortune, Christine fuses world history with autobiography to demonstrate mankind’s subjugation to the ceaselessly changing, and often cruel, whims of Fortune. Now, for the first time, this poem is accessible to an English-speaking audience, further expanding our appreciation of this ground-breaking woman author and her extraordinary body of work.