Saint Peter Damian (1007-1072) was a classically trained academic in Ravenna who underwent a conversion and committed to the eremitic life. His intellect and energy and deep spirituality, however, led him to leadership positions both in his monastery and in the service of the popes. He is known as a reformer, especially campaigning for priestly celibacy and against simony. Many of his works have been preserved, mostly as letters, although many are really books or treatises, and have been translated into English. He also wrote much verse, of which there is only one (difficult to access) English translation. I have endeavored to correct that.

I have collected all his verse that I could find, and I have published my own fairly literal English translations. I do not claim to have infused these translations with poetry.  Presented here are all the introductory material from the book and a few poems that may be of general interest in both the Latin and my English. MDK