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Elizabeth Barrett Browning: A Discussion of "How Do I Love Thee?"

Author: Garry Gamber

�How Do I Love Thee?� by Elizabeth Barrett Browning was written in 1845 while she was being courted by the English poet, Robert Browning. The poem is also titled Sonnet XLIII from Sonnets From the Portuguese.

Early Experiences

Elizabeth Barrett was born in Durham England in 1806, the first daughter of affluent parents who owned sugar plantations in Jamaica. She was home-schooled and read voraciously in history, philosophy and literature. Young Elizabeth learned Hebrew in order to read original Bible texts and Greek in order to read original Greek drama and philosophy. She began writing poems when she was 12 years old, though she did not publish her first collection for another twenty years.

Elizabeth Barrett developed a serious respiratory ailment by age 15 and a horse riding accident shortly thereafter left her with a serious spinal injury. These two health problems remained with her all of her life.

In 1828 her mother died and four years later the family business faltered and her father sold the Durham estate and moved the family to a coastal town. He was stern, protective, and even tyrannical and forbid any of his children to marry. In 1833 Elizabeth published her first work, a translation of Prometheus Bound by the Greek dramatist Aeschylus.

A few years later the family moved to London. Her father began sending Elizabeth�s younger brothers and sisters to Jamaica to help with the family business. Elizabeth was distressed because she openly opposed slavery in Jamaica and on the family plantations and because she did not want her siblings sent away.

Early Writing

In 1838 Elizabeth Barrett wrote and published The Seraphim and Other Poems. The collection took the form of a classical Greek tragedy and expressed her deep Christian sentiments.

Shortly thereafter, Elizabeth�s poor health prompted her to move to Italy, accompanied by her dear brother Edward, whom she referred to as "Bro." Unfortunately he drowned a year later in a sailing accident and Elizabeth retuned to London, seriously ill, emotionally broken, and hopelessly grief-stricken. She became reclusive for the next five years, confining herself to her bedroom.

She continued to write poetry, however, and published a collection in 1844 simply titled, Poems. It was also published in the United States with an introduction by Edgar Allan Poe. In one of the poems she praised one of the works of Robert Browning, which gained his attention. He wrote back to her, expressing his admiration for Poems.

Robert Browning

Over the next twenty months Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning exchanged 574 letters. An admiration, respect, and love for each other grew and flourished. In 1845 Robert Browning sent Elizabeth a telegram which read, "I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett. I do, as I say, love these books with all my heart � and I love you too." A few months later the two met and fell in love.

Inspired by her love for Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett wrote the 44 love poems which were collected in Sonnets From the Portuguese and which were eventually published in 1850. Her growing love for Robert and her ability to express her emotions in the sonnets and love poems allowed Elizabeth to escape from the oppression of her father and the depression of her recluse.

Her father strongly opposed the relationship so she kept her love affair a secret as long as possible. The couple eloped in 1846 and her father never forgave her or spoke to her thereafter.

Move to Italy

Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her husband, Robert, went to Pisa, Italy and soon settled in Florence where she spent the rest of her life, with occasional visits to London. Soon Elizabeth�s health improved enough to be able to give birth to the couple�s only child, Robert.

In 1850 she published Sonnets From the Portuguese. Some have speculated that the title was chosen to hide the personal nature of the sonnets and to imply that the collection was a translation of earlier works. However, Robert�s pet name for Elizabeth was "my little Portuguese," a reflection on Elizabeth�s darker, mediterranean complexion, possibly inherited from the family�s Jamaican ties.

While living in Florence, Elizabeth Barrett Browning published 3 more considerable works. She addressed Italian political topics and some other unpopular subjects, such as slavery, child labor, male domination, and a woman�s right to intellectual freedom. Though her popularity decreased as a result of these choices, she was read and heard and recognized throughout Europe. She died in Florence in 1861.

The Poem, "How Do I Love Thee?"

Sonnet XLIII, "How Do I Love Thee?" is probably Elizabeth Barrett Browning�s most popular love poem. It is heartfelt, romantic, loving, elegant, and simple. It is also quite memorable.

The love poem starts with the question, "How Do I Love Thee?" and proceeds to count the ways. Her Christian spirituality testifies that she loves Robert "to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach." She then professes seven more ways that she loves Robert. Her "passion put to use in my old griefs" refers to the depth of her former despair. The love that "I seemed to lose with my lost saints" refers to the lost loves of her mother and her brother.

The love poem ends with the declaration that time and death will not diminish her love for Robert because "if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death."

How Do I Love Thee

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.

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Garry Gamber is a public school teacher and entrepreneur. He writes articles about real estate, health and nutrition, and internet dating services. He is the owner of http://www.Anchorage-Homes.com and http://www.TheDatingAdvisor.com.

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Don't Throw Away That Poem!: Tips For Successful Poem Scrapbooking

Author: Kristin Johnson

"Roses are red
Violets are green
I'm really sorry I hit my brother
But he was being mean."

Kids not only say the darndest things, they write them, too. Whether this poetry springs out of creative writing exercises in the schools, or in HEARTSONGS, HOPE THROUGH HEARTSONGS and JOURNEY THROUGH HEARTSONGS 13-year-old now-deceased-but-never-forgotten writer Mattie J.T. Stepanek's case, out of special circumstances, degenerative muscular dystrophy, that bring forth a remarkable gift, the rhymes can easily be lost through time, moving, throwing away of school papers, or just simply forgotten.

While our children's poetry may not become best-selling books and CDs (Stepanek teamed up with young country star Billy Gilman to produce a CD), those sweet or questioning verses of childhood and angry, angsty teenage songs bring pleasure, joy and comfort. They are as much a part of history as official family records. How many of us wish we had saved our poems form clutter, neglect, forgetfulness, or the (we hope) well-intentioned suggestions of parents that "You just aren't a poet"---or even a parent throwing away our written longings? You can bet Mattie Stepanek's mom would never throw away his first poems!

Whether we have the gift to become a poet or not, whether or not our children are Emily Dickinsons, those scribblings and typings are part of our life, our thoughts, our feelings. They are gifts in themselves, and loving children everywhere have the creativity to give them as presents. Mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, are moved beyond words when they receive a card on construction paper, or even computer-created by a junior Bill Gates or Charles Schulz. That card may contain a poem about "The Greatest Dad in the World." Do you want to throw it away and keep all the store-bought greetings you take for granted? It may even move your spouse to wrestle with love poems, and you want to save those too.

The answer is scrapbooking. Poetry on paper is perfect for preserving in the pages of scrapbooks. You may want to create a scrapbook for family poems and created cards, or several scrapbooks if you have more than one poet in the family. You can organize the family scrapbooks by writer, poem subject (Dad, mom, the family dog or cat) or by occasions: birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, graduations, new homes, weddings, births, and so forth. Or you can include poems in scrapbooks you've created to record these occasions, scrapbooks that contain decorations, invitations, announcements, pressed flowers, and so forth.

Some tips for successful poem preserving:

* While it's tempting to include the yellowing paper your son wrote his first poem on, consider recopying it on pretty paper and include it. You can include the original paper if you wish, but do so beside the typed or handwritten version.

Do the same if a poem has smudges or spills.

* If you haven't dated a poem by your child, look at the writing and compare it to different ages. Always list your child's age.

* Always date family poems, either on paper or by making a note on a printed label or in handwriting.

* If you can't guess when a family poem was written, look at the occasion. If it was your 50th birthday or a particular wedding anniversary, you know the date (unless your memory is like a man's!)

* When you've started scrapbooking family poems, always choose heavy paper for future poems, or paper that holds up well.

* If the poem goes with a photo, include the original even if the image of the photo is on the paper the poem is printed on. Or include a photo from the event or a photo of the family member the poem is about for an illustrated poem!

* Consider typing up a page that includes sample quotes from family poems, a kind of "Best Of the Jones Family" list.

* Finally, if anyone in your family doesn't mind hearing their recorded voice, record a CD or cassette of the poems and include it with the scrapbook.

You may never get your poems read nationwide, but you and your family will treasure the memories they bring. So start writing, and happy scrapbooking!

Kristin Johnson composes personalized poems, speeches, toasts, vows, and family memories. Visit http://www.poemsforyou.com to order your personalize memories. She is also co-author of the Midwest Book Review "enthusiastically recommended" pick Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadablemedia kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com

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Be Not Afraid Of Greatness

Author: Austin Akalanze

Have you noticed that poets are probably the most under rewarded, of all the literary practitioners in the whole wide world. Like teachers, we are not rewarded enough for what we do. And honestly, I believe poets are a lot worse of than teachers with the exception of a very few. It is not as if poets do not bring value to poeple. We do. And it is not as if people do not desire our poetry. They do. So what is the deal? I am not sure what the answer is to that, but I do know that it should not be so.

In any given month, over two million people log on to the internet searching for love poems only. Now add on to that, searches for all other kind of poems and the number can be staggering. This can be verified by searching the searchers on any reverse search engine. There is a huge demand for poetry, that I know. So what is the deal? I am still not sure that I know. But I do know that, that can be changed.

And it is not by rushing to the next ondemand publisher to get your collection published. You will only end up with a stack of books in your basement or artic collecting dust. The way to do it is to use the technology of the day- the INTERNET. This may sound pretty obvious but to the newbie and to some seasoned writers who are technophobic, it is a different world.

You know, someone once said, "if your are not making money while you sleep, you will never get rich. That makes good sense, since there is so much you can do in a day. However, with the right knowledge, the right mind, some determination, and the right technology, you may not become a poetry Bill Gates, but you may become comfortable or even very comfortable. But wait a minute you may say, how is it possible to make money while you sleep? The answer is in the "I" word.

But this is not just about making money while you snooz away. It is about making a living doing what you most enjoy doing. Malcolm S. Forbes (1919-1990), once said, "The biggest mistake people make in life is not making a living at doing what they most enjoy." We enjoy writing and we should make a living doing writing.

Truth is, you can make a living doing what you love doing- writing poetry. And not just poems but any genre of writing that you do or any knowledge, especially special knowledge that you have. And aren't we all walking encyclopedia and living museums of sorts.

Wealth, I have learned is not something you pursue, but something you attract by the person you become. My challenge to you is to become that person that attracts wealth, not just financial wealth, but wealth in relationships, family, faith and all, and people will beat a path to your door to give you their money even while you sleep.

This is not about how to make money alone. It is about going to work on yourself by adding value to yourself. This is about how to make money with whatever knowledge that you have. It is about becoming knowledgeable about how to package the knowledge in your head and selling it to people.

People will pay you good money to loan your brain, and if you are able to loan your brain to millions of people at the same time, even while you sleep, that translates to even bigger
opportunities. The test is in having the staying power to learn.

Jim Rohn once said, "We go the direction we face, and face the direction we go." For those who don't know Jim Rohn, he is one of the greatest business and inspiring minds of our time. My question to you is, where are you facing? When you wake up tomorrow morning, are you going to be facing a future filled with hope and excitment, or a dead end job that you hate and despise? Are you one of those millions of the world,s masses traped in a dead end job, who
wake up every monday morning with a heart attack, still living under the illusion of building wealth with a corporate job and retirement plan? You can change all that starting today.

If you are here and have read this far, I beleive you have already won half the battle. You have shown that you have the staying power to succeed. You have shown a determination to win. You can attract wealth by the person you become and all that you need now are the nuts and bolts to stitch all this together.

Are you afraid of greatness? You should not. William Shakespear, once said, "Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness trust upon them." Remember, if you never go out on a limb, you will never get the fruit.

About the Author

Austin Akalanze is an Educator, Freelance writer, and webmaster at http://www.power-profit-systems.com/pips.html

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22 Fun Things To Do With Your Dozen Rose Gift

Author: Gina Stathopoulos

Your dozen rose gift doesn't only have to decorate your favorite room. Roses are about romance and enjoying the moment they are given and received. I've discovered some fun ways to use roses to create a stimulating day or night.

So read through this list of fun rose goodies.

Spice up your relationship and turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary day you will both remember. Select your favorite and have fun!

* Send your partner a dozen roses of their favorite color along with a check for a hundred kisses.

* Order a dozen roses, eleven red and one white. In your personal message write something like: �In every bunch there�s one that stands out � and you are that one�.

* Want your partners� eyes to glow? Order a bouquet of different colored roses and place each one in a different place in your home. Where you place the dozen roses, also place a small card (decorate it nicely if you like) where it will state the meaning of each colored rose and how that meaning fits in with your lives.

* When you pick up your partner have a single rose waiting on the passenger seat for him/her. He/she will be pleasantly surprised but the real surprise is yet to come� Have two dozen roses waiting at home.

* Give a bunch of long stem roses for no reason. That will sure surprise.

* Dress your bed with a white satin cover and scatter red rose petals all over. Light candles, put some soft music, have fun!

* Order 11 roses and in the bouquet put an artificial one that looks real. On your card write something like: �I will love you till the last rose withers.�

* Get a journal (buy the same color journal to go with the color of roses you are going to send) and fill it with romantic quotes and love poems. Tie a ribbon around the book and give to your partner along with your dozen rose gift.

* Another variation to buying a journal and filling it with quotes is to write all the memorable moments you have shared and how you felt during those times. Like the first time you met, etc. Telling the other person how you feel always makes that person feel special. Of course accompany this with a beautiful bouquet of roses, or even one long stem rose.

* Send your partner a dozen roses - Surprise number one. When they�re wilted, turn the rose petals into potpourri, put in a nice decorative box and this is surprise number two. Your partner will be delighted with your thoughtfulness.

* For this valentine�s day I received a dozen roses. So the last thing I was expecting was to receive another bunch a week and a half later. What my boyfriend had done (and it was a great surprise) was to lay the petals of the old roses in the shape of a huge heart in our living room which would be the first thing I would see when I came home from work. In the middle of the heart he had placed a vase with different colored roses. I loved it!

* Leave a trail of roses leading from the front door to the dinning room where you have laid the table with fine dining wear and candles ready to enjoy a romantic dinner. Leave another trail of roses leading from the dining room to the bedroom. Scatter some red rose petals on your bed.

* Write a long love letter telling your partner why you love him/her. List in it all their good qualities. Write down all the things he/she does that makes you feel special. Write down how you see your future together and anything else you can think of. A better idea would be to write all this stuff in a journal so it can keep longer. Accompany with a dozen of their favorite colored roses.

* Write a love letter to your partner and put it into an attractive glass bottle. Fill the tub and scent it with your favorite aromatic bath oil(s). Scatter in a few rose petals and put the bottle in the tub. Let your partner discover it for themselves when they get into the tub.

* Give your partner 11 roses and tape the last one to the mirror of your bathroom. Tell him/her to go to the bathroom where they will see the last rose along with your message that says �these are the 12 most beautiful things in the world.�

* Buy a bunch of different colored artificial roses. On each rose write what each color represents. These roses will last forever and your partner when they look at them will always be pleasantly reminded of the first time they receive them.

* Place a rose on the windshield of your partner�s car which they will see and be delighted by before they leave for work. This will make them think beautiful thoughts about you all day. Then when they get home, present them with the rest of the 11 roses.

* Lay a white sheet on the floor of your bedroom/living room or wherever else. Scatter rose petals on it, place candles around the sheet, put on soft music and have your partner lay there and give them a massage.

* If you have a spare key to your partners car and know where they park during the day, while they are at work, put a bunch of roses in the car seat along with a note. They will be pleasantly surprised that you were there during the day.

* Present your partner with 10 red roses and 2 white roses. Write in the card something along the lines of �You will never be alone�

* Two weeks before valentine�s day, send your partner a rose for every day leading up to the big day. For the day arrange to do something you don�t usually do as a special treat to celebrate.

* Make a list of the qualities you love about your partner. Write each one individually on a small card and hang off each rose.

About The Author

Copyright Gina Stathopoulos

Looking for a gift? Let Gina and Nick show you what we buy for friends/family and each other. At our site you will find popular gifts, gift information and stories from our readers. Come have a look http://www.we-recommend.com

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