In translation from the French by Rumer Godden, and with illustrations by Jean Primrose, this promises to bridge that difficult gap of introducing a slender sheaf of exquisite verse to an attendant audience. There is nothing very profound about these poems, twenty seven of them, each a simple prayer to a loving God, offered from the Ark by the animals. There is a quiet reverence, a reflection of prayer as a giving out, an offering, an acceptance of the assigned role -- while seeking some alleviation, a dignifying of faith and hope and love. The pen portrait of the poet, contributed by Rumer Godden, is a touching one, introducing a shy and humble genius, who has sought escape from a buffeting world under the protection of the Benedictine Abbaye at Igny.