30 Beautiful Famous Love Poems to Share With The One You Love

21. Sylvia

By George Etherege

Famous Poem

Sir George Etherege, from England, lived from 1635-1692. His main focus was writing plays, many of which were comedies. "Sylvia" is written about the subject of a beautiful woman who makes people believe in love, but the narrator will not allow others to love her, for she is his.

The Nymph that undoes me, is fair and unkind;
No less than a wonder by Nature designed.
She's the grief of my heart, the joy of my eye;
And the cause of a flame that never can die!

Her mouth, from whence wit still obligingly flows,
Has the beautiful blush, and the smell, of the rose.
Love and Destiny both attend on her will;
She wounds with a look; with a frown, she can kill!

The desperate Lover can hope no redress;
Where Beauty and Rigour are both in excess!
In Sylvia they meet; so unhappy am I!
Who sees her, must love; and who loves her, must die!

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22. On Marriage

By Kahlil Gibran

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The poem "On Marriage" by Kahlil Gibran is a poignant exploration of the nature of love and partnership. Through the voice of the master, Gibran speaks to the eternal bond that exists between two people who choose to spend their lives together, even beyond death. However, the poem also cautions against the dangers of losing oneself completely in a relationship and emphasizes the importance of maintaining one's individuality while still cherishing and supporting their partner. Gibran's use of vivid imagery and metaphor creates a powerful and thought-provoking piece on the complexities of love and marriage.
The poem begins with these lines:
Then Almitra spoke again and said, And what of Marriage, master? And he answered saying:

You were born together, and together you shall be forever more.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Yes, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness.
And let the winds of heaven dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love.
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but each one of you be
alone – even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not in each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the Cyprus grow not in each other’s shadows

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23. I Wish I Could Remember That First Day

By Christina Rossetti

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In "I Wish I Could Remember That First Day" by Christina Rossetti, the speaker expresses a longing to remember the details of their first meeting with someone special. The speaker reflects on the passing of that significant moment, regretting their lack of awareness and inability to foresee the importance it would hold. The poem captures the bittersweet feeling of realizing the significance of a past event that was initially overlooked or taken for granted. The speaker yearns to recollect the touch of that first encounter, emphasizing the power and significance of human connection.

I wish I could remember that first day,
First hour, first moment of your meeting me,
If bright or dim the season, it might be
Summer or winter for aught I can say;
So unrecorded did it slip away,
So blind was I to see and to foresee,
So dull to mark the budding of my tree
That would not blossom yet for many a May.
If only I could recollect it, such
A day of days! I let it come and go
As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow;
It seem'd to mean so little, meant so much;
If only now I could recall that touch,
First touch of hand in hand--Did one but know!

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24. Invitation To Love

By Paul Laurence Dunbar

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"Invitation to Love" by Paul Laurence Dunbar is a welcoming poem that invites love to enter the speaker's life in all its forms. Whether it's during starry nights, moonlit evenings, or sunny days, love is embraced. It is described as sweet and gentle, compared to a nesting dove. The poem extends its invitation during moments of both sorrow and joy, in the changing seasons and natural beauty. The repeated refrain of "you are welcome, welcome" highlights the sincere openness to love's presence throughout life's diverse experiences.

Come when the nights are bright with stars
Or come when the moon is mellow;
Come when the sun his golden bars
Drops on the hay-field yellow.
Come in the twilight soft and gray,
Come in the night or come in the day,
Come, O love, whene’er you may,
And you are welcome, welcome.

You are sweet, O Love, dear Love,
You are soft as the nesting dove.
Come to my heart and bring it to rest
As the bird flies home to its welcome nest.

Come when my heart is full of grief
Or when my heart is merry;
Come with the falling of the leaf
Or with the redd’ning cherry.
Come when the year’s first blossom blows,
Come when the summer gleams and glows,
Come with the winter’s drifting snows,
And you are welcome, welcome.

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25. She Walks In Beauty

By George Gordon, Lord Byron

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"She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron is a poem that admires the beauty of a woman. In the poem, Byron describes how the woman's appearance is both graceful and radiant. He compares her to the beauty of the night sky, praising her for her elegance and charm. Byron's words paint a picture of a woman who is both physically stunning and morally pure. The poem celebrates the idea that true beauty comes from within as well as from outward appearance. Overall, "She Walks in Beauty" is a tribute to the timeless allure of femininity.

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

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26. I, Being Born A Woman And Distressed

By Edna St. Vincent Millay

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"I, Being Born A Woman And Distressed" by Edna St. Vincent Millay also known as Sonnet XLI, is a poem that explores the complexities of love and desire. Through the use of poetic techniques such as imagery and metaphor, Millay portrays the speaker's struggle with societal expectations and her own desires. The poem's emotional tone is conflicted, with the speaker torn between her physical attraction to the addressee and her own sense of self. Edna St. Vincent Millay was an American poet and playwright known for her lyrical and emotionally charged poetry. She was a prominent figure in the literary and feminist movements of the early 20th century.

I, being born a woman and distressed
By all the needs and notions of my kind,
Am urged by your propinquity to find
Your person fair, and feel a certain zest
To bear your body's weight upon my breast:
So subtly is the fume of life designed,
To clarify the pulse and cloud the mind,
And leave me once again undone, possessed.
Think not for this, however, the poor treason
Of my stout blood against my staggering brain,
I shall remember you with love, or season
My scorn with pity, —let me make it plain:
I find this frenzy insufficient reason
For conversation when we meet again.

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27. A Red, Red Rose

By Robert Burns

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In "A Red, Red Rose" by Robert Burns, the poet employs several poetic techniques to express the depth of his love and commitment. Through vivid imagery, he compares his love to a "red, red rose" that blooms freshly in June, evoking the beauty and fragility of nature. The use of simile in the opening lines enhances the romantic tone of the poem, likening his love to a sweet melody played in perfect harmony. Additionally, Burns utilizes repetition for emphasis, with the phrase "I will love thee still, my dear" recurring throughout the poem, reinforcing the everlasting nature of his affection. Through these poetic techniques, Burns eloquently conveys the enduring passion and devotion he feels for his beloved, promising to love her unconditionally until the end of time.

O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile.

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28. Love Song For Lucinda

By Langston Hughes

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The poem explores love through vivid imagery and cautionary advice. Love is likened to a ripe plum growing on a purple tree, enticing and enchanting those who taste it. Similarly, love is compared to a bright star in the Southern skies, captivating but potentially overwhelming if looked at too intently. Finally, love is likened to a high mountain in a windy sky, suggesting that while love can offer exhilarating highs, it's important not to push oneself too far or risk losing one's balance. Through these metaphors, Hughes offers insights into the complexities and dangers of love, urging readers to approach it with caution and moderation.

Love
Is a ripe plum
Growing on a purple tree.
Taste it once
And the spell of its enchantment
Will never let you be.

Love
Is a bright star
Glowing in far Southern skies.
Look too hard
And its burning flame
Will always hurt your eyes.

Love
Is a high mountain
Stark in a windy sky.
If you
Would never lose your breath
Do not climb too high.

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29. Love's Philosophy

By Percy Bysshe Shelley

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The poem expresses the idea that everything in nature is interconnected and harmonious, with elements like rivers, oceans, winds, mountains, and waves blending together seamlessly. The poet compares these natural unions to the longing for a romantic connection with someone they love. They wonder why, if nature itself is so unified, they cannot be united with their beloved through a kiss.

The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the ocean,
The winds of heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?—

See the mountains kiss high heaven
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?

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30. Wild Nights - Wild Nights!

By Emily Dickinson

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"Wild Nights - Wild Nights!" by Emily Dickinson is a passionate expression of desire and longing. In this short yet powerful poem, Dickinson uses the imagery of a wild, untamed night to symbolize intense emotions and romantic yearning. The repetition of the phrase "Wild nights" emphasizes the speaker's excitement and fervor. Dickinson employs vivid language and evocative imagery to convey the intensity of the speaker's longing for love and connection. Despite its brevity, the poem captures the overwhelming nature of romantic passion and the sense of exhilaration that comes with it. Through its lyrical beauty and emotional depth, "Wild Nights - Wild Nights!" remains a timeless exploration of the complexities of love and desire.

Wild nights - Wild nights!
Were I with thee
Wild nights should be
Our luxury!

Futile - the winds -
To a Heart in port -
Done with the Compass -
Done with the Chart!

Rowing in Eden -
Ah - the Sea!
Might I but moor - tonight -
In thee!

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Famous Love Poems - Page 2

21. Sylvia

Sir George Etherege, from England, lived from 1635-1692. His main focus was writing plays, many of which were comedies. "Sylvia" is written about the subject of a beautiful woman who makes people believe in love, but the narrator will not allow others to love her, for she is his.

22. On Marriage

23. I Wish I Could Remember That First Day

24. Invitation To Love

25. She Walks In Beauty

26. I, Being Born A Woman And Distressed

27. A Red, Red Rose

28. Love Song For Lucinda

29. Love's Philosophy

30. Wild Nights - Wild Nights!