Poetry has long been the literary genre to convey feelings and emotions rather than scientific truths and historical facts. Most of the great poets of their times have at some point written poems about love. From William Shakespeare to Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Burns and John Keats. Love poetry has been the one genre that probably every poet has had a go at. Most people fall in love and poets are not immune to the spell, so many verses and sonnets were inspired by poets' muses and lovers. In this article, we tried to list some of the most passionate and best love poems of all time.
| Poem | Author | Publication Date |
|---|---|---|
| How Do I Love Thee? | Elizabeth Barrett Browning | 1850 |
| Come Slowly, Eden! | Emily Dickinson | 1890 |
| He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven | W.B. Yeats | 1899 |
| Sometimes with One I Love | Walt Whitman | 1860 |
| Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds | William Shakespeare | 1609 |
| Here I Love You | Pablo Neruda | 1924 |
| She Walks in Beauty | Lord Byron | 1814 |
| Annabel Lee | Edgar Allan Poe | 1849 |
| A Red, Red Rose | Robert Burns | 1794 |
| Sonnet 116 | William Shakespeare | 1609 |
How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Elizabeth Barrett Browning probably had one of the most romantic love affairs of all time, making her one of the famous female poets of the era. After she published some of her early works, another poet, Robert Browning, started writing to her and so began a courtship that would end with the pair of poets getting secretly married and fleeing to Italy where they live happily ever after.
From that relationship, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, draw most of the inspiration that gave life to some of the most romantic poems of all times. The poem How Do I Love Thee? was dedicated to her husband who was the one that saved Elizabeth from the quiet and reclusive life she was not destined to have.
She was 40 years old when she broke free from an overprotective father and this poem sums up perfectly the sixteen years of the happy marriage that she spent alongside with her husband.
Come Slowly, Eden! by Emily Dickinson
Come Slowly, Eden! is a short love poem only composed of eight lines. One interesting fact about it is that it was written by Emily Dickinson, one of the most famous American poetesses whose spinster’s life was already the talk of the town during her time.
She lived most of her life as a recluse and by all accounts probably never had a lover. Yet her poetry books are full of romantic poetry, often addressed to a mysterious “Master,” who, according to scholars, was a godlike inspirational figure. This particular poem captures a sense of yearning and almost sacred anticipation, using the image of Eden to suggest both innocence and desire. In just a few lines, Dickinson evokes the tension between restraint and passion, making the brevity of the poem part of its power.
Though short, it shows her great ability to turn private feelings into something universal and timeless.
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven by W.B. Yeats
William Butler Yeats can be considered as one of the most prominent figures of Irish (and British) poetry and literature. Born into a wealthy Anglo-Irish family in 1865, Yeats grew up in the Irish countryside, a home that would inspire him greatly.
The other part of Yeats life that inspired him was his unrequited love for English heiress and Irish nationalist, Maud Gonne. Yeats proposed to her four times and was always rebuffed to his greatest despair.
It is only 20 years later that Gonne and Yeats would end up being lovers, for one night only and though their friendship seemed to have endured, it was never more than platonic. Yeats only married when he was 51 years old to 25 years old Georgie Hyde-Lees and despite the age difference (and Yeats later infidelity) the union seems to have been a success. From his turmoiled love life, Yeats drew much of his inspiration. He was awarded the Nobel Prize of Literature in 1923 "for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation".
His poem "He Wishes for the Clothes of Heaven" is a straightforward missive to the speaker for his lover: "If I were rich I would give you everything and anything, but I am just a poor man and all I have are my dreams." The rather simple and dated idea is made striking by the repetitive use of the same word and the absence of any actual rhyme throughout the poem. Yeats compensated for the banality of his poem by using the rhythm of the repetitions in a very lyric way. Academics suggested that the simplicity of the poem was one of the reasons it ended up being so popular.
Sometimes with One I Love by Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman, born in 1819, is often referred to as the "Father of free verse" given his extensive work that rid itself of meter patterns, rhymes or other musical patterns. He is one of the founders of modern American poetry and has been one of the most influential writers of his time. A lot of ink has been poured regarding Whitman sexuality, but it is commonly accepted that he was homosexual (or "at least" bisexual).
For this reason, he was heavily critiqued during his lifetime by contemporary thinkers that declared that his work was depicting "that horrible sin not to be mentioned among Christians."
While Whitman never acknowledged any sexual inclination, his strong relationship with many young men was well known even during his lifetime. Most of his Calamus poems, which are part of his book Leaves Of Grass, depicting the manly love of comrades is assumed to be describing his own homosexual love affairs.
Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds by William Shakespeare
Sonnet 116, titled Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds is probably the most famous piece of love poetry of all time.
First published in 1609, the poem described love beyond the physical attraction that two people can feel for each other and celebrates love in a purer form, strong and constant, based on trust and understanding.
Even though this love poem was written centuries ago, it contributed to making Shakespeare one of the most romantic poets of all time and inspired the future generation of English poets: Elizabeth Barret Browning, William Wordsworth, William Blake, Lord Byron, Rudyard Kipling and all the great masters of English poetry.
Here I Love You by Pablo Neruda
One of the most famous South American writers and poets, Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto, was born in Chile in 1903. He published his first poetic work at the age of 13 years in his local newspaper. A few years later he would adopt the pen name, Pablo Neruda.
Fame came early for him, as he managed to publish his first volume of verses when he was only 20 years old, after impressing the biggest publisher of the country.
Neruda wrote in many different styles about many different subjects, but some of his most famous works were his passionate love poems. He was also a prominent political actor in the troubled Chile of his time and it is now a well-known fact that his death had been ordered by the dictator Pinochet, who took power of Chile a couple of weeks before his death (though official investigations have not concluded yet).
To this day, 100 years after it was first printed, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair remains the best selling poetry book in the Spanish Language ever with more than 20 million copies sold.
Neruda's popularity and influence, as well as his ability to use words to convey messages to the people of Chile, was so feared that it caused his own death. His most famous love poems are were published in his Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair book in 1924 when Neruda was only 19 years old. The eroticism of his work shocked some of the critics of the time, especially given the young age of the poet.
She Walks in Beauty – Lord Byron (1814)
She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies.
Lord Byron
Lord Byron’s She Walks in Beauty is one of the most admired Romantic poems, written in 1814 after Byron reportedly saw his cousin by marriage, Lady Wilmot Horton, at a party in a glittering black dress: The poem captures the poet’s awe at her elegance, not only her physical beauty but also the sense of inner purity he perceives in her demeanor: Byron uses striking contrasts of light and dark, comparing her radiance to a starry night sky. Instead of focusing solely on desire, the verses emphasize balance, harmony and an almost spiritual admiration.
The poem reflects Romantic ideals by blending emotion with imagery drawn from nature and the cosmos. Each stanza develops the interplay of external beauty and moral goodness, suggesting that true loveliness lies in the combination of outer grace and inner virtue. Its gentle rhythm and rhyme scheme make it memorable and musical, almost like a song. She Walks in Beauty continues to be cherished for its lyrical celebration of love, admiration and the harmony of body and soul.
It remains one of Byron’s most enduring works, capturing a timeless ideal of love that elevates rather than diminishes the beloved.
Annabel Lee – Edgar Allan Poe (1849)
Annabel Lee was the last complete poem written by Edgar Allan Poe, published shortly after his death in 1849. It tells the haunting story of a young, all-consuming love that ends tragically with the death of the beloved, Annabel Lee. The poem is deeply personal and many scholars believe it was inspired by Poe’s own wife, Virginia, who died of illness at a young age. Written in a ballad-like style, the verses use repetition and musicality to emphasize devotion that even death cannot end. Poe describes angels envying the intensity of the lovers’ bond, suggesting that forces beyond the mortal world sought to separate them.
Many readers believe Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee was inspired by the death of his young wife, Virginia. Others whispered it was about a hidden romance, which only added to Poe’s mysterious, gothic charm and made him something of a 19th-century heartthrob...
Yet the speaker insists that their souls remain forever united. The imagery of the sea, the kingdom by the ocean and the eternal connection of spirits creates a dreamlike and mournful atmosphere. The poem combines both Romantic and Gothic qualities: it celebrates the purity of youthful passion while dwelling on themes of loss, mourning and the supernatural. Annabel Lee remains one of Poe’s most popular works, often read as both a love poem and a lament. Its emotional resonance comes from its simplicity and sincerity, capturing love as an eternal force stronger than death itself. Here is the love poem on YouTube!
A Red, Red Rose – Robert Burns (1794)
Robert Burns’s A Red, Red Rose, first published in 1794, is a Scottish love poem that has become an enduring favorite worldwide. Written in the dialect of his homeland, the verses are simple, musical and heartfelt. Burns compares his love to a newly bloomed rose and to a sweet melody, emphasizing freshness, beauty and harmony.
The poem’s vivid imagery comes from everyday life, drawing on the natural world and familiar expressions rather than lofty classical references. The stanzas promise everlasting devotion with lines such as “Till a’ the seas gang dry” and “Till the rocks melt wi’ the sun.” These hyperbolic vows convey a sense of unshakable commitment that feels both romantic and universal· Because of its rhythm and song-like quality, A Red, Red Rose has often been set to music and remains part of folk traditions.
Burns was known for blending the language of the people with timeless poetic themes and this poem is a perfect example of how he elevated common imagery into expressions of lasting love. Its accessibility has made it one of the most quoted love poems in English. Even centuries later, its directness and sincerity continue to touch readers’ and listeners’ hearts.
Sonnet 116 (“Let me not to the marriage of true minds”) – William Shakespeare (1609)
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116, often titled “Let me not to the marriage of true minds,” is perhaps the most celebrated poem on the nature of enduring love. Written in 1609, it defines true love as constant and unwavering, unaffected by time or circumstance. The sonnet rejects the idea that genuine affection can be altered by obstacles or weakened by changes in fortune.
The poem uses powerful metaphors, comparing love to an “ever-fixed mark” that guides sailors through storms, much like a lighthouse. Love is also described as something that does not fade with time, even though physical beauty inevitably declines. Shakespeare argues that real love is spiritual and unchanging, rooted in trust and understanding rather than mere attraction.
The sonnet’s structure, with its steady rhythm and rhyme, mirrors the steadfastness of the love it describes. In the final couplet, Shakespeare boldly declares that if his definition of love is wrong, then no man has ever truly loved.
This striking confidence has helped cement the poem’s reputation as a definitive statement on the subject. Sonnet 116 remains one of the most quoted love poems in the English language, often recited at weddings and cherished for its timeless vision of unshakable devotion.
If the timeless beauty of these iconic love poems has inspired you, consider enrolling in poetry lessons at Superprof to further explore the art of poetic expression. With flexible, self-paced lessons available from anywhere, you can immerse yourself in the richness of poetic forms and techniques. Gain personalized feedback from seasoned poets, engage in interactive workshops and join a community of fellow poetry lovers. Whether you're looking to sharpen your writing skills or discover your own voice, these lessons offer the perfect opportunity to deepen your appreciation for poetry and unlock your creative potential.
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