How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…”
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 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.
I am giving my husband this book of poems and letters by Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I thought it’ll be nice to start Valentine’s with the poem above.
Yes, its Valentine’s Day and we’re allowed to get mushy and lovey-dovey.
Here are some post I thought are worth sharing…go on ..read on and get some ideas for the one you love. And if you have an interesting post you’d like to share and for me to gush about, please feel free to leave it in my comment section.
Please click on the links to read them.
Thanks to the writers for allowing me to link it up.
I just finished reading Kwentong Tambay and I laughed and cried through the pages of this book. I was touched by Batjay’s letters to his wife. Here’s A 12th aniversary letter to Jet from Jay (Tagalog)
And I had to browse and search through Toni’s archives to discover this beautiful post , 3 years
Sometime in the fall I was directed to this post in the Meet and Greet Weekend Game at Michele’s blog and read this post from Carmi, And I just have to share it with you all: Sing it Like the Flintstones
And nothing tops it all other than a marriage proposal. Check this out:
A marriage proposal for Geraldine
The surprise
here’s the couple’s site
Hi Leah!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your hubby! I’ll check out the links.
By: vernaloo on February 14, 2007
at 4:53 am
just dropping by to say, Happy Valentimes, Leah!
By: watson on February 14, 2007
at 5:02 am
Happy Valentines Day!
Enjoy !
By: Sidney on February 14, 2007
at 5:29 am
Same here, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.
By: Belle TH on February 14, 2007
at 5:45 am
Happy Hearts Day!!!
By: Linnor on February 14, 2007
at 6:53 am
=)
By: ralphT on February 14, 2007
at 8:26 am
I love that poem,too.and thats nice to start the Valentine with poems π
Happy Valentine`s Day,Leah,to you and your hubby π
and thank you for the greetings,I appreciate it a lot π
By: ghee on February 14, 2007
at 9:28 am
happy heart’s day!
By: Analyse on February 14, 2007
at 6:15 pm
Hope you had a good lovey- dovey day
By: pining on February 14, 2007
at 6:24 pm
what’s Valentine without that lovely poem! Happy Hearts’ Day to you and the family!
By: Junnie on February 14, 2007
at 7:07 pm
Hi Ate Leah!
Happy Valentine’s Day! and also i finally got the card from Mitch, Thanks so much! =)
By: wengskie on February 14, 2007
at 9:52 pm
Happy Valentine’s Leah!
Thanks for the loved dovey links.
By: KK on February 14, 2007
at 10:14 pm
hi leah!
have a love-filled valentines day!
just checked out the links.. batjay’s letter to his wife is a funny-mushy one.. π
and the proposal..wow! that must have worth a lot! he.he.he.
By: dangkin on February 14, 2007
at 10:36 pm
Belated happy V-day. I used to memorize the poem in your post. Wala lang. Katuwaan lang noon. π
By: Abaniko on February 14, 2007
at 11:44 pm
maraming salamat sa special na pag banggit leah. happy valentines day din sa inyo.
nag lunch lang kami ni jet ngayon dahil duty siya sa hospital mamayang gabi. ok na yon, basta magkasama kami.
ingat.
jay
By: BatJay on February 15, 2007
at 12:19 am
Hello Leah! Ok mga links mo time for valentine. I’m an avid reader of mr.batjay too.
Happy valentines day!
By: ann on February 15, 2007
at 12:41 am
hi leah! happy heart’s day (belated na pala).
i remember the poem because our english teacher back in high school required us to memorize it by heart and have it recited in front of the class with the required feelings. i think robert browning has an answer to this, i just don’t remember the title..
nice read π
By: zherwin on February 15, 2007
at 1:00 am
Happy Hearts Day! Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem. The book of poems is a perfect gift. I’m sure your husband will appreciate it.
Thank you for visiting. Take care!
By: Heart of Rachel on February 15, 2007
at 1:47 am
Happy Valentine’s Leah! Sonnet 43 by E.B.B. is one of my favourites π Excellent choice, hope you and you hubby had a great Hearts Day!
By: Angelo on February 15, 2007
at 2:57 am
happy valentine’s day leah! no date yesterday but lots of love to go around π
By: oggie on February 15, 2007
at 4:46 am
I guess, for all the hopeless romantics in us we will always love those immortal lines from Sonnet from the Portuguese.
just passing by.
care to link up?:)
By: Bill Mitsuru Shimizu on February 15, 2007
at 5:02 am
Valentines are for couples and businessmen as the Superbowl is to advertisers. We look forward to this day with glee and we all get all mushy. Belated happy valentine’s day, Leah. I too love this very romantic poem by EBB. My husband is away for valentines’ but we’ll celebrate it when he gets back. No need for him to give me anything, but I sure will appreciate those belated roses or chocolates.
By: Tani on February 15, 2007
at 5:45 am
The Elizabeth Browning poem is one of my faves.
The Online Marriage Proposal is inspired!
Belated Happy VD!
By: Alternati on February 15, 2007
at 6:36 am
wow, romantics ang topic, i like that. Kasi love keeps us glow, kahit na kadami worries in life, but if we know we have someone that cares for us deeply, thats really nice.
Meron din agape love, yun bang no sex involve. Ang tawag don is brotherly love without taking advantage of the other, which can be called Christian love also.
Yan, carried away ang lola sa topic mo, dal dal ko na naman, lol
By: Francesca on February 15, 2007
at 9:42 am
Ohh, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem is sooo lovely, it is so perfect for Valentine’s. The words are so strong, so powerful, that even centuries after it still has a very eloquent message. Belated Happy Vday – I hope you had a good one. π
By: kathy on February 15, 2007
at 12:00 pm
one of the best poems..
batjay’s a sweet husband. jet’s blessed to have him.
By: bingskee on February 15, 2007
at 2:57 pm
Hello all..thanks for all the Valentine greetings. Hope your Valentine’s Day was good.
By: Leah on February 15, 2007
at 6:59 pm
I will check out the stuff you recommended. Thanks. That Browning poem is a classic. Lesser known is my favorite Browning which goes this way: “If thou must love me, love me for naught but for love’s sake only. Do not say I love her for her smile, her look, her way of speaking gently …. Neither love me for thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheek dry .. for a creature might forget to weep who bear thy comfort long and lose thy love thereby.” Ganda di ba? But am sure kasama din yan sa volume na gift mo sa hubby. Ay, mga hopeless romantics.
By: annamanila on February 17, 2007
at 8:12 am
Hi annamanila,
oh what a beautiful and romantic poem indeed. Hope you enjoyed the links.
By: Leah on February 17, 2007
at 11:57 am