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Elizabeth Barrett Browning (6 March 1806 – 29 June 1861 / Durham / England)
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Poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning : 24 / 243
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.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Submitted: Saturday, May 12, 2001
Edited: Saturday, May 12, 2001
Read poems about / on: childhood, passion, faith, lost, death, sun, love, god, life, smile
Poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning : 24 / 243
Comments about this poem (How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning )
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This is an almost idolatrous love – she equates her love with that of the soul devoted to the search for the divine.
She focuses her love from several sources into a pure intense flame of total devotion. What man could stand such a flame I do not know!
This is a passionate woman – she does not mention physical love yet one can infer that it is included in this love, though subject to it. This love will continue past the age of sexual desire.
Viewed thru the prism of our post-modern world,
I see this love poem full of snark;
written on a lark-
it ends on a note dark
enough to make my skin curl.
awesome poetry for real
Probally one of my favorite poems I've ever heard before in my life. It's a really beautiful and peaceful poem. I love it. A+
Anyone who is truly in love with their spouse will take this as their own.
Bull Durham`s Durham queen.Written well.
This is one of the best poems ever written, the expression of affection has nothing confusing or contradictory about it. It is merely and expression of love that will continue after death, if that be possible. Elizabeth Barrett Browning in my opinion, was a much better poet than her husband.
Elizabeth loves Browning more than words can describe it and has better said in detail in this fine sonnet!
Elizabeth loves Browning in all ways and more than in words she has detailed in this fine poem!
Great write! Love is not just a passion but devotion and its boundary cannot be defined. Fantastic expression of love which is unique and eternal need of mankind.