How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

the bookworm photography, poetry, , ,

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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 every day’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 the 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.

–Elizabeth Barrett Browning

A favorite poem by Browning, and I think my favorite lines here are
“I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints.”

There is something just sweet and to the point about this poem. I feel it showcases how loving someone is as necessary to life as breathing is.  “I love thee to the level of every day’s most quiet need”.  

What do you think?

Follow this link  to read more of her work. Sonnets from the Portuguese has been on my wishlist for a while now, I really should grab a copy for my shelves.

sonnets

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disclaimer: The photo above is my own and is not available for download.

7 thoughts on “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

  1. I have quite a collection of poetry books and whilst I don’t read them that often, perhaps not often enough, I do like to dip in and out of them from time to time, when the mood takes me.

    I don’t really have a favourite poet, as it all depends on my frame of mind, although I don’t mind rediscovering some of the classics, both the poetry and the poets!

    Thanks for sharing and enjoy your weekend 🙂

    Yvonne

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Yes, I love this poem. Love it. It fills me up with longing 🙂 I love these lines especially:

    I love thee with the passion put to use/
    In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

    But I also like the parts you highlighted about the “day’s most quiet need.”

    Like

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