The Harp of the Spirit: Poems of Saint Ephrem the Syrian (Publications of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge)

This is a very inspirational read. St Ephrem's writings are beautiful.

This is a very inspired and wonderful book of poems, (songs) by a Church Father who has been sadly neglected in the West. Living at the same time as St Athanasius, St Basil, St Gregory Nazianzus and St Gregory of Nyssa, St Ephrem is the representative of Asian Spirituality. St Ephrem wrote in Syriac and not in Greek. His writings are therefore much less accessible. These translations by the Syriac scholar Sebastian Brock are a great help in our understanding of early Christianity. St Ephrem wrote his theology in the form of poetry. Here is an example of his poetryIt is a source of great amazement, my belovedthat someone should inquire into the wonderof how God came downand made his dwelling in a womband how that Being put on the body of a manspending nine months in a womb,not shrinking from such a home;and how a womb of fleshwas able to carry flaming fire,and how a flame dwelt in a moist womb and did not get burnt up.Just as the bush on Horeb bore."Just as the bush on Horeb boreGod in the flame,so did Mary bear Christ in her virginity.Perfectly God,he entered the womb through the ear;in all purity the God-Mancame forth from the womb into Creation."

This is a real discovery: the poetry is uniquely beautiful but it needs the clear literary and theological commentary that the editor provides with such felicity. This is world class writing practically unknown even by thoughtful Christians.