Let Me Count the Ways
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 43
Dear friends and lovers,
This week’s poem is Sonnet 43 from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese. Press play above for my dramatic reading and follow along below if you like:
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.
The former Miss Elizabeth Barrett is of course well known for her much romanticized relationship with fellow poet and husband Robert Browning, pictured with her here:
It has always been presumed that Robert is the addressee of Sonnet 43. If you have information indicating otherwise, please let us know so that we can alert the literary historians.
The immortal opening line of Elizabeth’s famous poem has inspired several songs, including one by Yoko Ono which is presumably dedicated to John Lennon:
Personally, I prefer the sonnet to the song, but when it comes to creative outpourings of love and affection I say let a hundred flowers bloom.
Here is another such flower, written by your favorite author, songwriter, and publisher in permanent exile many years ago:
But let me conclude this February 14th post here with a poetic message from St. Valentine himself:
Happy Valentine’s Day!