The Theotokos and the Soul

Poems

By: Ana Sacrieru

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The Theotokos and the Soul is a luminous continuation of Ana Săcrieru’s poetic exploration of time, love, and transcendence.
Following her acclaimed debut in English, Trilogy of Time, this second volume deepens the poet’s meditative and spiritual vision, placing the human soul in a profound dialogue with the divine. If Trilogy of Time traced the pilgrimage of the self through longing and temporality, The Theotokos and the Soul enters an even more interior space—where prayer, silence, suffering, and love converge.
At the heart of this book stand two powerful, symbolic presences: the Theotokos and the Soul. Far from dogmatic or devotional poetry in the narrow sense, these poems use religious imagery as a universal language for existential inquiry. The Theotokos emerges as a figure of cosmic motherhood, eternal love, and guiding light, while the Soul appears as a restless seeker—fragile, wounded, yet capable of ascension.
Ana Săcrieru’s poetry moves fluidly between heaven and earth, time and eternity, body and spirit. Her language is intensely lyrical, rich in images of light, stone, sky, longing, and silence. Love is both trial and revelation; suffering becomes a path toward purification; absence is transformed into meaning. The poems form a continuous inner journey rather than isolated texts, inviting the reader into a contemplative rhythm.
Translated from the Romanian by Vasile Poenaru, with a foreword by the translator and an afterword by literary critic Ioan Holban, this volume introduces English-language readers to one of the most distinctive contemporary poetic voices from Eastern Europe—one rooted in spiritual reflection, yet deeply attuned to the modern human condition.
The Theotokos and the Soul is a book for readers who seek poetry that is not merely read, but inhabited; for those drawn to mystical depth, philosophical resonance, and the quiet intensity of faith expressed through art. It stands as a natural companion to Trilogy of Time, while fully asserting its own voice and vision.