Sonnets from the Portuguese 43:
How Do I Love Thee?
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love
thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling
out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the
level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love
thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from
Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and
with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of
all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after
death.
Insights...
Grasping the inner nature of things intuitively.