Best How Do I Love Thee Poems
Here is the poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806 - 1861
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.
My Response (for the challenge of Mystic Rose)
You love me quite profoundly. That I know
From this sweet poetry I now have read.
So many things are running through my head,
Like how I might with equal measure show
My love for thee as splendidly, but oh!
I stumble with my meager words instead.
My quill runs dry; all eloquence has fled.
I call upon my muse that verse might flow.
My love for thee is beautiful and strong.
With trepidation I confess to thee
Although I never want to do thee wrong,
Can I love as well and as steadfastly?
Please bear with me; one day my words a song
Will be to echo words thou wrote for me!
Written Feb. 20, 2016
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806 - 1861 - To Her Lover
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)
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.
=================================
Her Lover's Response - How Do I Love Thee Contest
My dear, I love thee too in many ways.
You fill my heart and soul each day and night.
Alone I am when thou art far from sight.
Without thy love, my days fall short of grace.
My heart is full of love for thee through days
Of comfort and of strife, for thou do light
My every path that leads to good and right.
For thee my heart and soul hold life-long praise.
Our love we keep with passion deep and use
The fire to feed our love's non-ending faith.
Thou strength I do embrace to never lose
The closeness that I feel with every breath.
No matter how our days are spent I choose
To love thee always, even after death.
Sandra M. Haight
~2nd Place~
Contest: How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways
Sponsor: Mystic Rose
Judged: 02/22/2016
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.
*************************************
Should I count all the ways that I love you?
There are oh so many ways to revere
Must be another way to assess, dear
If I use a ruler, what would ensue?
Summating inches, would that ever do?
Are "he loves me" petals worthy entries?
Perchance, peaceful picnics under zen trees?
How do I love thee, is this deja vu?
Already measured the treasures you are
The secret allure of black diamond eyes
That smile...radiates gold like the North Star,
Rubied heart... can't start to deduce it's size
Inaccurate calculations thus far
Even in sunset, ever the sunrise
How do I love thee, let me count the ways
Now give an ear to hear what my Heart says
Give audience to Mind to speak at will
My Soul will testify and won't be still
I love thee!
Heart:
I love thee with emotion's thundering dance
With passion's stormy show and calm romance
I love thee with each beat that life bestows
The strength of love I feel with each day grows
I Love Thee!
Mind:
I love thee with discernment's guiding light
Revealed to me are weaknesses that blight
I love thee for I know though thorns may sting
Your beauty is song I choose to sing
I love Thee!
Soul:
I love thee with the lasting hand of time
When life is done, I'll love in heaven's clime
I love thee with immortal constancy
For you're my all in all, my sovereignty
I Love Thee!
Recounted are the ways: heart, mind, and soul
My love, you are the one that makes me whole!
I Love Thee!
For Mystic Rose's How Do I Love Thee Contest
February 20, 2016
How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love thee like the ice-cubed world that has been dropped in Vodka,
splashing Pink Nuvo
Freezing the sands of time,
The Northern sky with the color of sunsets.
I love thee
Thy soul nude, drunk, and mute beneath the Aurora Borealis...
It's mystic music.
I love thee in here
Beyond skin and ribcages
all wrapped up in a cocoon,
Breaking through
Sprouting in butterfly season,
My dear Morpho Menelaus
Fluttering my sky into the Mariana Trench
the deepest blue... The deepest.
I love thee
my most quiet need to remain gasped in sighs full of awe.
I love thee burning into my vine green veins like the furnace of a forest fire.
I love thee in and out of breath.
With lungs full of asthmatic.
I love thee,
Thy love has sunken and engraved it's print into my back dimples.
It made its way into the marks my skin refuses to forget
Thy love has given my scars meaning,
it has made them beautiful.
I love thee.
With no words
No ink,
But simple and majestic as a candle's fire blowing in in the dark
Yet so present as the aroma of vanilla on skin and the thick of smoke.
I love thee.
HOW DO I LOVE THEE?
How do I love thee? 'Til death us do part
I love thee from the farthest depth of my heart
I love thee as the roses love sunshine
I love thee because God allowed you to be mine
I love thee more now than I did from the first
I love thee so much that my heart may just burst
I love thee like sea shells love the seashore
I love thee now and forevermore
I love thee from the farthest depth of my heart
How do I love thee? 'Til death us do part
23 August 2013
The first Sonnet is a masterpiece by Elizabeth Barret Browning.
The following Sonnet would be her love's response.
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.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Each morning I wake to see thy sweet face.
Love, do not speak of death to me again.
A life without thee would cause sharpest pain.
No harm shall reach thee in my warm embrace.
I shall speak to thee of love deep and true.
The one I adore shines with brightest light.
Stars fade in my eyes when she is in sight.
Tis thee, my dearest, sweet as morning dew.
Thou hast won my heart, so there is no need
For a measurement or counting of ways.
Love shall live after flowers turn to seed.
I vow to love thee the rest of my days.
To thy grave or mine I shall not concede
I doth love thee more than my heart conveys.
February 11th, 2016
How Do I Love Thee Contest by Mystic Rose
How Do I Love Thee Response
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways
I love thee to the breadth and depth 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 everyday’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 ith the passion put to use
With 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 breadth
Smiles, tears all my life!- and, if God chooses
I shall but love thee after death
Response
Thou should not count the breadth of loving ways
I return thy love in equal amounts
To the level of being in your grace
Where thy heart can endear as I can count
All the days without you that I must face
Each day and each night as is my plight
My love is so pure as well as sincere
Thy love is taken by me as is my right
Embody my soul for I would not care
Gather thy saints on how hallowed they be
Seeking a time for reflection with God
If God choose to end my life before thee
Strenghts shall abate on how slowly I plod
My love will endure when my soul is free
How Do I Love Thee Contest
Sponsored by Mystic Rose
Ralph Sergi February 18, 2016
This love is pure and for you alone.
This love held precious in a sacred realm.
This love is comfort worthy to be called home.
This love is a jewel and yours to own.
How deep is this love?There is no measure.
How deep the yearning that your eyes embrace?
How deep the meaning to share its treasure?
How deep are the roots when hearts interlace?
My love's a bollard to your tethered heart.
My love's a soft feather on your soul's wings.
My love's a fragrant scent that won't depart.
My love's a musical note the heart sings.
I shall embrace you with my love so strong.
I shall caress you as the years grow long.
contest How do I Love Thee, Let Me Count the Ways
2/10/16
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.
(Response)
What magnitude of love, thou hath for me
A flowing fountain welleth up inside
Overfilling my heart with love and pride
Merely mirrors the love I share for thee
Our two hearts were meshed by God's blessed grace
Our love strengthens the tie that binds our souls
Untempered by heaven, forever it grows
Immeasurable love through time and space
Countless stars will sleep, winds will rise and fall
My darling, I thirst and hunger for thee
Please bringeth forth thy love and comfort me
The love we share encompasses all
Such Divine love before unknown to man
Such true love shall never be known again
response to Elizabeth Barrett Browning's sonnet
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...
Feb 12 2016
Blessed read as two syllables in line 5
14 lines - 10 syllables per line
by Daniel Turner
How do I love thee in response.
Know there is not better way.
Such love does sour.
Oh to avail such a plight.
What a splendid ace.
It’s more than can be said.
Fills a beautiful need.
Knowing what is right.
The best does rise.
Beyond all strength to endure.
Knows no greater space in life.
Only to abide beyond.
Shall not faint.
In all grace.
An empathy of Love divine.
should I attempt to tabulate the ways
in which I cherish this thing we call life
a single eye to count the twinkle stars
might I borrow the worlds fingers and toes
arms, legs and noses, still shy my target
better still to prey my heart from its chest
laid out raw, in ore, wanting more, love score
no magician can fill up a full cup
that does, clearly, already overflow
bulbous, crimson, life, spilling down solid sides
flooding the firmaments, essence of me
a reason for being, forging, worthwhile
I straddle the beast who carries us through
tallyho, avanti, onward we go
How do I love thee?
For my hands are blood splattered
My scars are deeply battered
How do I love thee?
With sunken tears in my eyes,
the Unrequited love- lost in paradise.
How do I love thee ?
for my lips are intoxicated with desire
lust has fed my soul with fire
how do I love thee ?
when there is no love in my heart
candid emotions expressed through my art
Tell me
How do I love thee?
Form:
HOW DO I LOVE THEE?
How do I love thee? 'Til death us do part
I love thee from the farthest reaches of my heart
I love thee as roses love sunshine
I love thee because God allowed you to be mine
I love thee more now than I did from the first
I love thee so much that my heart could burst
I love thee like sea shells love the seashore
I love thee now and forevermore
I love thee from the farthest reaches of my heart
How do I love thee? 'Til death us do part
23 August 2013
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1806 - 1861
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.
--------------
A response to above sonnet...
--------------
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I too love thee to the core of my heart
as passion throbs wild and rips me apart,
Forever long for your tight warm embrace,
flows the red constantly through nights and days,
For I do love thee from head till toes,
moments in time putting end to all woes.
True love showing loud and clear on my face
grows tempestuous to its alpine grace,
Only if you could relive faith and trust,
tranquil the writhing soul rests in this crust,
If ought to find peace in this quailing life,
Compassion undone in death ends all strife.
Written Feb 22nd, 2016
For contest by Mystic rose
Inspired by poem by Elizabeth