Love poems you’ll swoon for this Valentine’s Day
In the mood for love? We’re sharing some of our favourite love poems from Poetry of Love for Every Day of the Year, to get you feeling the feels this Valentine’s Day. Happy swooning!
The Human Touch
’Tis the human touch in this world that counts,
The touch of your hand and mine,
Which means far more to the fainting heart
Than shelter and bread and wine;
For shelter is gone when the night is o’er,
And bread lasts only a day.
But the touch of the hand and the sound of the voice
Sing on in the soul alway.
Spencer Michael Free (1858–1938)
To F. C.
20th FEBRUARY 1875
Fast falls the snow, O lady mine,
Sprinkling the lawn with crystals fine,
But by the gods we won’t repine
While we’re together,
We’ll chat and rhyme and kiss and dine,
Defying weather.
So stir the fire and pour the wine,
And let those sea-green eyes divine
Pour their love-madness into mine:
I don’t care whether
’Tis snow or sun or rain or shine
If we’re together.
Mortimer Collins (1827–1876)
Eight O’Clock Bells
Eight o’clock bells are ringing,
Mother, may I go out?
My young man’s a-waiting
For to take me out.
First he bought me apples,
Then he bought me pears,
Then he gave me sixpence
To kiss him on the stairs.
Anon
On her Dancing
I stood and saw my Mistress dance,
Silent, and with so fixed an eye,
Some might suppose me in a trance:
But being askèd why,
By one I who knew I was in love,
I could not but impart
My wonder, to behold her move
So nimbly with a marble heart.
James Shirley (1596–1666)
The Ragged Wood
O hurry where by water among the trees
The delicate-stepping stag and his lady sigh,
When they have but looked upon their images –
Would none had ever loved but you and I!
Or have you heard that sliding silver-shoed
Pale silver-proud queen-woman of the sky,
When the sun looked out of his golden hood? –
O that none ever loved but you and I!
O hurry to the ragged wood, for there
I will drive all those lovers out and cry –
O my share of the world, O yellow hair!
No one has ever loved but you and I.
W. B. Yeats (1865–1939)
Poetry of Love for Every Day of the Year by Jane McMorland Hunter is available online and from all other good booksellers. Explore Batsford’s full poetry list here.
