Elizabeth Barrett Browning Poems List: A Journey Through the Heart and Mind of a Remarkable Poet

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era, gifted the world with a remarkable collection of poems that continue to captivate readers to this day. Her works, known for their emotional intensity and exploration of love and societal issues, represent a profound reflection of her personal experiences and the social context of her time. This article offers a comprehensive Elizabeth Barrett Browning poems list that showcases the brilliance and depth of her poetic expression.

The Sonnets from the Portuguese

Sonnet XLIII

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. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Sonnet XIV

If thou must love me, let it be for naught
Except for love's sake only. Do not say,
'I love her for her smile—her look—her way
Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,—and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,—
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.

Aurora Leigh

Aurora Leigh (Book I)

Of writing many books there is no end;
And I, who have written much in prose and verse
For others' uses, will write now for mine,—
Will write my story for my better self,
As when you paint your portrait for a friend,
Who keeps it in a drawer and looks at it
Long after he has ceased to love you, just
To hold together what he was and is.
I, writing thus, am still what men call young;
To travel inland, that I cannot hear
That murmur of the outer Infinite
Which unweaned babies smile at in their sleep
When wondered at for smiling.

Aurora Leigh (Book II)

Of writing many verses, _also_, there's no end.
For every rhyme I've penned, another waits
In line, impatiently. The words cascade
Upon the page like river's swift descent,
They tumble, long and short, till sense is lost
And rhythm takes its place, the guiding force.
But when I pen, I feel a subtle truth,
A light that sparkles in my writer's mind,
And even though the world may turn its back,
I'll write till death, my every thought uncaged.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poems invite us to delve into the intricate tapestry of human emotions and experiences. Through her exquisite use of language, she conveys her passionate spirit, profound reflections, and unwavering commitment to love, art, and societal progress. This curated Elizabeth Barrett Browning poems list represents only a glimpse into the vast body of work she has left behind as her poetic legacy. To fully grasp the depth and beauty of her words, one must immerse themselves in the complete works of this extraordinary poet of the Victorian era.