Poetic Love: 6 Poems to Make Your Valentine’s Day Special

“Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry”

– Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare’s statement might sound controversial to many, especially to those who are not fond of literature or poetry. However, there is a certain truth to her words. Poetry has a special charm that is bound to affect you in one way or another. Poets have been weaving magic with their words since time immemorial. No matter what you wish to express, there seems to be a poem for it. So, this Valentine’s Day, why not do something out of the box? Instead of the same flowers, chocolates, and fancy dinners, why not do something a tad innovative for your beloved? After all, a few lines of heart-touching poetry are sure to melt your beloved.

So, here we are with some amazing love poems that you can dedicate to your loved one on this February 14.

Poem: She Walks In Beauty in the Night

Poet: Lord George Gordon Byron

The bad boy of the Regency Era, our very own Lord George Gordon Byron, is one of my most favorite poets ever. His renowned sonnet, She Walks in Beauty in the Night, always succeeds to bring a smile to my lips. In this poem, Byron celebrates the ideal loveliness of one woman. The narrator talks about her glowing face and her luminous hair. Her beauty is compared to that of the serene night. The narrator is so enamored by the lady that he wishes to bash in the glow of both her inner and outer beauty. Even hundreds of years later, Lord Byron’s poem resounds with all lovers. Anyone in the throes of love is bound to relate to this beautiful yet short poem.

Favorite Line: She walks I beauty, like the night

                          Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

Poem: Sonnet 18

Poet: William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is perhaps the greatest literary artist of all time. The famous English dramatist and poet has left an indelible mark on history. There is nobody in this world who has not heard his name. All of Shakespeare’s sonnets are masterpieces in their own right. Sonnet 18 is the one that has remained one of the favorites of all those who love love poems. In direct contrast to Byron’s She Walks in Beauty, Shakespeare compares the beauty of his beloved with that of a summer day instead of a clear night in his sonnet. Starting with the lines Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?, the poem goes on to expound on the stability of love and the power of immortalizing one’s beloved. Through the use of simple words, Shakespeare sets out to ensure that his beloved’s beauty remains eternal and never succumbs to oblivion through his sonnet. The use of vivid imagery makes the poem all the more striking.

Favorite Lines: So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see

                            So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. 

Poem: How Do I Love Thee?

Poet: Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s How Do I Love Thee? depicts the abstractness of love. In this sonnet, she outlines the different ways of loving her beloved. Browning portrays her everlasting love by emphasizing that she likes each and every aspect of her love. She does not want to change even one thing about her beloved. Her repeated use of the words I love theeunderscores that what she feels is love, it is nothing more or nothing less. The continuous use of the same line also hammers in the fact that nothing will change her mind about her love. It is enduring. She has complete faith in her beloved and will continue loving him irrespective of what goes on in her life. By skipping on pronouns like he, she, him, or her, she ensures that her sonnet has a universal appeal.

Favorite Line: I love thee to the level of every day’s

                         Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight

Poem: One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII

Poet: Pablo Neruda

Penned originally in Spanish, Pablo Neruda’s One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII is dedicated to his wife, Matilde. Naruda emphasizes the everlasting and ephemeral nature of love. His love is not momentary and cannot be compared to something as trite as a rose or a flaming arrow. Neruda underscores the fact that nothing can define love properly. He emphasizes that there is no better way to express one’s love than saying that you love the person in question. Divided into four sections called, Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Night, Neruda uses the word “love” nine times in the entire sonnet of fourteen lines. It is undoubtedly one of the most touching love sonnets.

Favorite Lines: I love you as one loves certain obscure things,

                           secretly, between the shadow and the soul.

Poem: ‘Why Do I Love” You, Sir?’

Poet: Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson was a poet way ahead of her time. All her works are profoundly innovative and will definitely leave you wanting more. In ‘Why Do I Love” You, Sir?’, Dickinson expresses the simple truth that love cannot be explained by reasoning. She uses instances from nature to drive her point home. The poem is short yet lovely. It is a great piece to express your feelings to your beloved.

Favorite Lines: The Sunrise-Sire-compelleth Me-

Because He’s Sunrise – and I see –

Therefore – Then-

I love Thee – 

Poem: Hither, Hither, Love

Poet: John Keats

John Keats is an eminent poet from the Romantic Era. In his poem, Hither, Hither, Love, Keats upholds the significance of celebrating love in life’s every moment, even knowing that it could all come to an end at any moment. He asserts that enjoying love when it is there will make sure that there are no regrets later.

Favorite Lines: Yet it has not passed –

                           Think how near, how near! – 

                           And while it doth last,

                          Think how dear, how dear!                       

Conclusion

Love poems abound in every language. From sweet and profound to sensual and touching, there is a love poem of every type. It is up to you to pick the right one for your beloved. By writing a few lyrical lines in a love letter or an innovative love note, you are sure to enhance the romance quotient. Moreover, it will also give you the opportunity to bask in the swirling lines penned by master poets at different points in time.

Do comment and let us know which of the poems listed here tugs your heartstrings.