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 lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.
this is one of the most poems i liked by elizabeth browning. through this poem she is addressing her beloved, robert browning, she feels as if she is nothing. she has no hope in life. we get to know that her poems and her ideas give him pleasure. 'neither love me for thine own dear pity`s wiping my cheeks dry', this is a very direct reference to her illeness and shows how robert loves her. he cares her & feels pity towards her.' IT IS LOVE THAT CURES ANY DISEASE'
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
I love the message of this sonnet. She wants his love so badly, yet knows she is undeserving. He would persist in loving her though, and for fear of losing that love, she tells Robert to love her just to love. For the things he loves about HER could change. I have often felt this same way.