How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways

The Brownings, Elizabeth and Robert.

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 sightFor the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday'sMost 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 a 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.

Elizabeth was so shy she put this sonnet into Robert's dressing gown pocket for him to find.