How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

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 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 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 Barret Browning

This is such a beautiful piece of poetry. Now I’ve had this habit for as long as I can remember where I just randomly ask my husband to tell me not why but how much he loves me. The results are always amusing and I think it’s mainly because I don’t give him time to make up ideal answers. His latest response was more than apples! Apples? Really? He doesn’t even like apples.

My plan is to print a copy of this poem and hopefully he’ll recite it to me and I’ll pretend I’ve never heard it before! Sounds like a winning formula to me.

April 9, 2012 | Categories: love, poetry | Tags: apples, death, Elizabeth Barret Browning, love, Poetry, Romance, Smiles | 3 Comments »