This book contains several literary genres (poetry, prayers and legislative texts)--all of which were written by Saint Francis himself--and an exploration and discussion of these texts by internationally renowned Franciscan scholar Thaddee Matura. Often overlooked, Francis' writings bespeak a theology of tremendous spiritual vision. So many study Francis' life, legends and devotions, yet not until fairly recently have theologians begun to take seriously Francis' simple, yet powerful words about God, the Trinity and the Christian journey. Unlike any other book on the saint from Assisi, this book brings Saint Francis' writings to the forefront and shows how this simple and uneducated man, who possessed only a basic alphabetical knowledge, left behind a body of writing, including two brief handwritten texts on parchment.