Timeless Love Poems — Favorite Classics & Modern Favorites
You’d have to literally be living under a rock not to know today is Valentine’s Day — and if I am the one breaking it to you, I envy you. It seems like everywhere you turn, there’s a reminder to buy candy, jewelry, trips, event tickets, cars, and any number of other items for the ones you love to prove just how much you love them.
My wife and I have been married nearly 12 years (we were together an additional four years before that), and Valentine’s Day has never been a big deal in our relationship. We may exchange a card. I may get her some flowers. But we have never really exchanged presents or made a big deal of it. We don’t try to fight the crowds to fit in a romantic dinner on Valentine’s evening. And now that we are parents, we devote even less energy to Valentine’s as a practice.
But one of our long-standing traditions on Valentine’s Day, and throughout much of the year, is that I share my favorite poetry with her. My wife is a scientist; she is a physician who loves mathematics and has a brain for complex calculations. She loves to read for enjoyment’s sake, but she is not somebody who seeks out literature and poetry to break down as a literature professor would.
On the other hand, I love the analysis of writing. I was an English teacher. I am an author. I love to break down books for their mechanics, their themes, their allusions. I love these things about literature. And I love poetry even more for that.
But my wife does love when I read her poetry, when I tell her about the poet and what the societal context of a work was. She likes when I give her a mini-lesson on a writer and help her see what I love about a given poem. She loves this because she loves to learn, and she loves this because she loves me.
So in honor of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to share some of the poetry that I have enjoyed sharing with her. I wanted to talk briefly about some poets I love and, most importantly, I wanted to curate a list of love poems that in no way involves Shakespeare. (It’s sacrilege, I know, but I am an English teacher that does not like Shakespeare.)
When our two souls… (Sonnet 22)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) was an English poet and writer. She was born in Durham, England, into a wealthy family, and was the eldest of twelve children. From a young age, Elizabeth was an avid reader and began writing poetry at the age of six.
In 1826, Elizabeth fell ill with a lung disease that would plague her for the rest of her life. Her illness led to a period of isolation, during which she read widely and developed her writing skills. She published her first collection of poems, An Essay on Mind and Other Poems, in 1826, and it received critical acclaim.
In 1846, Elizabeth met the poet Robert Browning, and they began a correspondence that developed into a deep love affair. Against her father’s wishes, Elizabeth and Robert married in 1846 and moved to Italy, where they lived for the rest of their lives.
During her time in Italy, Elizabeth continued to write and publish poetry, including her most famous work, Sonnets from the Portuguese, a collection of love sonnets that was published in 1850. Sonnet 22 comes from this book. Her other notable works include Aurora Leigh, a novel in verse, and Casa Guidi Windows, a collection of political poems.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning died in Florence in 1861 and was buried there. She is considered one of the most important English poets of the 19th century and a leading figure in the Victorian era.
Annabel Lee
Edgar Allan Poe
“Annabel Lee” is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1849, shortly after his death. The poem tells the story of the narrator’s love for a woman named Annabel Lee, who dies at a young age.
There is some speculation that “Annabel Lee” was inspired by Poe’s own life. Poe married his cousin, Virginia Clemm, who was 13 years old at the time of their marriage. Virginia died of tuberculosis at the age of 24, and Poe was devastated by her death.
Some have suggested that “Annabel Lee” is a tribute to Virginia, while others have argued that it is simply a work of fiction. Either way, the poem is a hauntingly beautiful expression of love and loss, and is one of Poe’s most beloved and enduring works.
In and Out of Time
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou (1928–2014) was an American poet, author, and civil rights activist. She was born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri, and spent much of her childhood in Stamps, Arkansas. Angelou experienced racism and trauma in her early life, including being raped at the age of 8 by her mother’s boyfriend, which caused her to become selectively mute for several years.
Despite these challenges, Angelou excelled in her education and went on to become a prolific writer and performer. She is best known for her autobiographical book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which tells the story of her childhood and early adult life. The book was a critical and commercial success, and established Angelou as an important voice in the civil rights movement.
Over the course of her career, Angelou published numerous other books, including poetry, essays, and memoirs. She also worked as a singer, dancer, and actor, and was a professor of American studies at Wake Forest University.
Angelou received many awards and honors for her work, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. She died in 2014 at the age of 86, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential and beloved writers of her generation.
Tu Risa (Your Laughter)
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda (1904–1973) was a Chilean poet and politician. He was born in Parral, Chile, and began writing poetry at a young age. He published his first book of poems, Crepusculario, in 1923, and quickly gained a reputation as one of Chile’s most promising young writers.
Over the course of his career, Neruda published numerous other books of poetry, as well as collections of essays, memoirs, and translations. He is best known for his love poems, which are renowned for their passionate and sensual imagery.
Neruda was also involved in politics and was a member of the Chilean Communist Party. He served as a senator in the Chilean government, and in 1971, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. However, his political activities put him at odds with the government, and he was forced into exile for a time.
Neruda returned to Chile in 1972, but his health began to decline, and he died the following year. He is considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, and his work continues to be widely read and celebrated around the world.
I carry your heart with me
E. E. Cummings
I would be remiss not to include this E.E. Cummings classic on this list. “I carry your heart with me” is a love poem by E.E. Cummings, first published in 1952. The poem is a celebration of the depth and constancy of the narrator’s love, and uses the metaphor of carrying someone’s heart to convey the idea that the beloved is always with the narrator, no matter where they go or what they do.
The poem is widely regarded as one of Cummings’s most popular and enduring works. It is notable for its use of unconventional grammar and punctuation, as well as its simple, direct language and imagery.
There is no clear backstory or inspiration for the poem, but it is likely that Cummings drew on his own experiences and emotions to create it. Cummings was known for his intense and often unconventional relationships, and his work is marked by a deep sense of intimacy and emotional intensity.
Heart to Heart
Rita Dove
Rita Dove is an American poet, writer, and professor who was born in Akron, Ohio in 1952. She received her undergraduate degree from Miami University and her MFA from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
Dove is known for her elegant, lyrical poetry that explores themes of history, race, and family. She often draws on her own experiences and the experiences of her ancestors to create vivid and powerful imagery. Her work has been widely published and anthologized, and she has received numerous awards and honors, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1987 for her book “Thomas and Beulah.”
In addition to her work as a poet, Dove has also published several plays, novels, and essays. She served as the Poet Laureate of the United States from 1993 to 1995, and has taught at several universities, including Arizona State University and the University of Virginia. Dove is also a strong advocate for the arts, and has worked to promote poetry and literature in schools and communities across the country.
Want Could Kill Me
Xan Phillips
Xan is a relatively new voice to the poetry scene. According to whiting.org, he is the recipient of the Judith A. Markowitz Award for emerging writers, and has received fellowships from Oberlin College and Brown University among others. His poetry has been published in American Poetry Review, Poets.org, Black Warrior Review and Crazyhorse. This poem, “Want Could Kill Me” comes from his first book HULL, which is the recipient of a Lambda Literary Award.
He was named the 2021–2023 Center for African American Poetry & Poetics Fellowship in Creative Writing at University of Pittsbugh. Find out more at his website www.xanphillips.com
This is in no way a comprehensive list, but it’s a place to start. I love poetry. I envy poets their ability. I revel at their skill. And I hope that you find something you love in this list as well.
