Love Poems

Although I read as much poetry as I can, and like especially to read love poems; this past year I have not had the time to indulge myself as much as I would like to. Last week I had a gentle reminder that I was missing out on one of the greatest pleasures of my life. I watched a movie of one of my most beloved actors, Anthony Hopkins: "84 Charing Cross Road" a few days ago. Every time I hear his smooth, mellow, clear voice, I want to swoon. In the movie he quotes Yeats' beautiful "He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven". Until now, in my hierarchy of the sweetest love poems of all time, Yeats' gem had had second place, outranked only by Moore's beautiful "Believe Me". However, hearing my sweet Anthony Hopkins recite Yeats, was so heavenly that I now love "He Wishes..." the best. I programmed the DVD for repeat, closed my eyes, and for nearly a half-hour I heard it over and over again. I now repeat it to myself all the time.

"Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams." ~ Yeats


I decided to add to my original post and list my favorite love poems of all time in order. There are a lot more, but I decided to restrict myself to ten:

* He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven – Yeats
* Believe Me – Moore
* She Walks in Beauty – Byron
* Sonnet 116 – Shakespeare
* The Wife’s Will – Bronte
* Sonnet 18 – Shakespeare
* At Last – Allen
* Beautiful Dreamer - Foster
* The Song of Wandering Aengus – Yeats
* The Definition of Love – Marvell