Romantic Poetry Corner (post your favorite love poems)

[IsleOfEau]

I tried to find a thread like this but they all seemed dedicated to original poetry, so I thought I would start a thread where we could share our favorite romantic poetry. I will try to post at least one a day and encourage everyone who enjoys such things to post their own favorites.

I will begin with this one...


Sonnet CXCI

Absence from thee is something worse than death;
For to the heart that slumbers in the shroud,
What are the mourners' tears and clamors loud,
The open grave, the dismal cypress wreath?
The quiet body misses not its breath;
The pain that shivers through the weeping crowd
Is idle homage to the visage proud
That changeth not for all affliction saith.
But to be thus, from thee so far away,
Is as though I, in seeming death, might be
Conscious of all that passed about my clay;
As though I saw my doleful obsequy,
Mourned my own loss, rebelled against decay,
And felt thy tear-drops trickling over me.

George Henry Boker
April 7, 1866

[IsleOfEau]

Sonnet CCXCIII

As from his wrist the eager falconer
Tosses his hawk upon the windy sky,
So from my lips this kiss I toss on high,
Through leagues of weary air to follow her.
Mount to the zenith, instinct with the spur
Of what I feel; and by thy love-led eye,
Discern thy gentle quarry; hover nigh;
Yet with no fears her virgin bosom stir.
When sleep enfolds her, then thou too mayst lay
Thy touch upon her. Let me tell thee where;
Thou canst not err to kiss from foot to hair.
But O, thou tender messenger, I pray,
So wake her fancy that a dream may play
About her heart to tell who sent thee there.

George Henry Boker
July 8, 1877

[IsleOfEau]

Sonnet

My lady sighs, and I am far away;
My lady weeps, and I cannot be near
To still the sigh, or catch the falling tear
On lips whose office 'tis to own her sway,
And curl in scorn when other maidens play
Their love-pranks round me. I am lost in fear,
Haunted with doubts and shadows that appear
To lengthen ever with declining day.
All things seem dubious; the rise and fall
Of my own heart, the wild ideas that move
Like phantoms through my brain, the faith above
My intellectual grasp, do but apall
By their dim aspects, and I doubt them all;-
All seem unreal, except alone thy love.

George Henry Boker

[crazycarrie06]

That last one made me cry :-(

[IsleOfEau]

To My Wife

Afar from thee! the morning breaks,
But morning brings no joy to me;
Alas! my spirit only wakes
To know I am afar from thee.
In dreams I saw thy blessed face,
And thou wert nestled on my breast;
In dreams I felt thy fond embrace,
And to mine own thy heart was press'd.

Afar from thee! 'tis solitude!
Though smiling crowds around me be,
The kind, the beautiful, the good,
For I can only think of thee;
Of thee, the kindest, loveliest, best,
My earliest and my only one!
Without thee I am all unbless'd,
And wholly bless'd with thee alone.

Afar from thee! the words of praise
My listless ear unheeded greet;
What sweetest seem'd, in better days,
Without thee seems no longer sweet.
The dearest joy fame can bestow
Is in thy moisten'd eye to see,
And in thy cheek's unusual glow,
Thou deem'st me not unworthy thee.

Afar from thee! the night is come,
But slumbers from my pillow flee;
O, who can rest so far from home?
And my heart's home is, love, with thee.
I kneel me down in silent prayer,
And then I know that thou art nigh;
For God, who seeth everywhere,
Bends on us both his watchful eye.

Together, in His loved embrace,
No distance can our hearts divide;
Forgotten quite the mediate space,
I kneel thy kneeling form beside.
My tranquil frame then sinks to sleep,
But soars the spirit far and free;
O, welcome be night's slumbers deep,
For then, sweet love, I am with thee.

George W. Bethune, D.D.

[Harlequin]

One of my favourite love poems comes from ancient Egypt. It's not romantic in the same way as the wonderful poems you've shared are, but the feeling is there, and I think it's very cute:

I think I'll go home and lie very still,
Feigning terminal illness.
Then the neighbors will all troop over to stare,
my love, perhaps, among them.
How she'll smile while the specialists
snarl in their teeth!-
she perfectly well know what ails me.

[Unconditional]

One of my favourite love poems comes from ancient Egypt. It's not romantic in the same way as the wonderful poems you've shared are, but the feeling is there, and I think it's very cute:

I think I'll go home and lie very still,
Feigning terminal illness.
Then the neighbors will all troop over to stare,
my love, perhaps, among them.
How she'll smile while the specialists
snarl in their teeth!-
she perfectly well know what ails me.

That's actually really beautiful. Who knew the egyptians did such wonderful poetry.

[Harlequin]

That's actually really beautiful. Who knew the egyptians did such wonderful poetry.

I really love things like that particular poem, because it's done by "common" people who you'd never even consider if it weren't for things like this surviving thousands of years. Hearing about the big important people is always cool, but getting a glimpse of the not-so-famous people is really exciting. Here are a few more (including the one I shared) if you're interested in reading them.

[Unconditional]

I really love things like that particular poem, because it's done by "common" people who you'd never even consider if it weren't for things like this surviving thousands of years. Hearing about the big important people is always cool, but getting a glimpse of the not-so-famous people is really exciting. Here are a few more (including the one I shared) if you're interested in reading them.

So cool, and once translated quite easy to read! I'm surprised. My favorite from those is the pond one. Very interesting

[differentcountries]

Sleep on my arm! Night is hiding
Under its wing your blushing cheeks
Happy and warm, soon you're dreaming
You'll fly to meet me like bays meet the wind

Captured again, vailing, striding
Refusing, then wanting, and soon you're kissed again
Slumber, my friend. Night is growing.
Love's watching over you, tender and quiet.

Sleep on my arm!