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“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…”
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) |
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How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death. |
| SONNET 116 |
| Let me not to the marriage of true minds |
| Admit impediments. Love is not love |
| Which alters when it alteration finds, |
| Or bends with the remover to remove: |
| O no! it is an ever-fixed mark |
| That looks on tempests and is never shaken; |
| It is the star to every wandering bark, |
| Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken. |
| Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks |
| Within his bending sickle’s compass come: |
| Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, |
| But bears it out even to the edge of doom. |
| If this be error and upon me proved, |
| I never writ, nor no man ever loved. |
To celebrate Valentines day I thought I would post two poems by two of my favorite poet: Elizabeth Browning and William Shakespeare. Both poems are well known and loved. Even though I love both poems, I must admit Shakespeare’s sonnet is deeper which is surprising because it is from a viewpoint of a man. Maybe Shakespeare was a woman since he is so sensitive, descriptive, and emotional when it comes to describing love!:) |
