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 candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love 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.
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 candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love 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.
My Thoughts...
This is one of my favorite poem during my secondary and innocent days when I believed deep inside my heart that I would find a love that is true and without measure. This poem really tells me that love is not for what you can benefit from it or something you can take for granted. I hope even for this hi-tech generation, young ones are still convinced that love has no measure, no boundaries, no color, no numbers... For when you choose to live according to criteria and standards, you'll never know the real happiness and true beauty love can bring into your life.
Why I love this poem so much? It is because it reminds me that love knows no conditions and no one force love or it is mandated to you by others. Actually, the words best suited with how I feel for someone I truthfully love. I don't seek a love that has reasons and just to prove other people. I guess, that's the very reason I waited for so long for the right feeling to come along.
Yeah, a lot of people say I am wasting my time on you. However, I love thee with all that I am similar to how I love the Almighty. Although this path is leading me to nowhere but I have faith in my destiny. When I learned to love and do things for you, it was not because you forced me or others told me to do so. I did what I should do, out of my free will and I know it is right to prove my feelings to you.
When I am around you, it seems that the agony of my past healed and my teenage fairy tale's pages were so alive. Actually, I am not playing dumb in front of you, I just felt like naive again around you. I forgot that I know so many things and learned a lot. I always felt that you were more knowledgeable than I am, and I am powerless in front of you.
I can really relate to this poem because I love thee even if you brought me a combo of all emotions: sadness, pain, longings, joys and a lot of excitements. Perhaps, this is the kind of love I really needed in my life and that someone turned out to be you. I prayed and I am so grateful that God brought me to you. I believe in love same as I believe in the angels and saints, unknown and unseen but they are true... my love is always divine and true.
In my heart, I want this love forever until my hair turns gray and my last breath.
Why I love this poem so much? It is because it reminds me that love knows no conditions and no one force love or it is mandated to you by others. Actually, the words best suited with how I feel for someone I truthfully love. I don't seek a love that has reasons and just to prove other people. I guess, that's the very reason I waited for so long for the right feeling to come along.
Yeah, a lot of people say I am wasting my time on you. However, I love thee with all that I am similar to how I love the Almighty. Although this path is leading me to nowhere but I have faith in my destiny. When I learned to love and do things for you, it was not because you forced me or others told me to do so. I did what I should do, out of my free will and I know it is right to prove my feelings to you.
When I am around you, it seems that the agony of my past healed and my teenage fairy tale's pages were so alive. Actually, I am not playing dumb in front of you, I just felt like naive again around you. I forgot that I know so many things and learned a lot. I always felt that you were more knowledgeable than I am, and I am powerless in front of you.
I can really relate to this poem because I love thee even if you brought me a combo of all emotions: sadness, pain, longings, joys and a lot of excitements. Perhaps, this is the kind of love I really needed in my life and that someone turned out to be you. I prayed and I am so grateful that God brought me to you. I believe in love same as I believe in the angels and saints, unknown and unseen but they are true... my love is always divine and true.
In my heart, I want this love forever until my hair turns gray and my last breath.
About the Author
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband, Robert Browning, shortly after her death. more