Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

Sonnets from the Portuguese XLIII.

"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 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 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.



I love this beautiful and simple poem.
It's apparently based on a speech from King Lear.

Goneril Sonnet 43
55 Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;
56 Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;
57 Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;
58 No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;
59 As much as child e'er loved, or father found;
60 A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;
61 Beyond all manner of so much I love you

from
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30252013_ITM

so a little bit of intertextuality going on there, or plagarism as we say today.

I decided to write my own as I am not keen on the thees and lost saints etc



How do I love you?

Let me count the ways
I love you to the depth , breath and height my soul can reach
When you are not there, I love you
I love you to the level of my everyday quiet needs at sunrise and late at night
I love you freely as those people who strive for right
I love you purely as those, they turn from praise
I love you with the reckless passionate depths of my first love
I love you the way I used to love before I knew love could end
I love you with the breath , smiles, tears of all my life
And If it is to be, I would love you after death.