A Pure Sonnet From The Portuguese XLIII

______________________________________________________________________________________

Elizabeth Barrett Browning
(1806-1861) 
Sonnets From The Portuguese

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 candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love the 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 love thee better after death.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning





______________________________________________________________________________________
Footnotes
This poem is dedicated to Mrs. CarPeo.

The forty-third of Ms. Barrett-Browning's forty-four
SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE
is formatted as the poet intended.

The image of Elizabeth is from here.
______________________________________________________________________________________