This week felt like a long one because it had snowed for the last couple of days. It still is March, after all. Anyway, I’d like to end the work week with a beautiful poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In late January of this year, Myra featured Browning’s popular poem, How Do I Love Thee? Here’s another sonnet that she wrote, which was new to me.
Hosting Poetry Friday round-up this week is Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty.
If thou must love me… (Sonnet 14)
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love’s sake only. Do not say,
“I love her for her smile—her look—her way
Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day”—
For these things in themselves, Belovèd, may
Be changed, or change for thee—and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheeks dry:
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love’s sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love’s eternity.
Gathering Books 
A ‘just because’ is the best reason, I agree. This is one I don’t know either, Fats. Thank you for a new look at love.
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There’s nothing as magical as a well-written love sonnet. This one was new to me, as well. Thank you for sharing it, Fats.
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Hi! Can you help me find other literary works which present a similar model of love?
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