How Do I love Thee

Romantic Love Poems Sonnet From The Portugese XLIII Elizabeth Barrett Browning -


How do I love thee?


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 love thee better after death.
If thou must love me, let it be for naught
Except for love's sake only.
Do not say"I love her for her smile
Her look
Her way
Of speaking gently,
For a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so.
Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry:
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and love thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity



Jo, thanks for the comment. I didn't know that Trista read this. I found in in one of Lurlene McDaniel's books & I heard it again from the last episode of Beverly Hills 90210 when Kelly recited it on Donna's wedding day.. And I finally found it like a few months ago on the net but I never really posted it online till you reminded me....