Elizabeth Barrett Browning
 

[B][U][COLOR="Sienna"]How Do I Love Thee?[/COLOR][/U][/B]
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

[B][COLOR="SlateGray"]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 every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
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. [U]I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.[/U][/COLOR][/B]

Sonnet
 

[SIZE="2"][B][U][COLOR="Sienna"]Sonnet[/COLOR][/U][/B][/SIZE]

[B][COLOR="SlateGray"][COLOR="Sienna"][U]With the same heart[/U][/COLOR], I said, I'll answer thee
As those, when thou shalt call me by my name -
[U]Lo, the vain promise![/U] is the same, the same,
Perplexed and ruffled by life's strategy?
When called before, I told how hastily
[U]I dropped my flowers or brake off from a game.[/U]
To run and answer with the smile that came
At play last moment, and went on with me
[U]Through my obedience.[/U] When I answer now,
I drop a grave thought, break from solitude;
[U][COLOR="Sienna"]Yet still my heart goes to thee--ponder how -
Not as to a single good, but all my good!
Lay thy hand on it, best one, and allow
That no child's foot could run fast as this blood.[/COLOR][/U] [/COLOR][/B]