Sonnets From The Portuguese Iv Poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Sonnets From The Portuguese Iv

Rating: 2.8


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.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Paige S 02 July 2009

I love the message of this sonnet. She wants his love so badly, yet knows she is undeserving. He would persist in loving her though, and for fear of losing that love, she tells Robert to love her just to love. For the things he loves about HER could change. I have often felt this same way.

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Sara Luna 15 June 2006

this is one of the most poems i liked by elizabeth browning. through this poem she is addressing her beloved, robert browning, she feels as if she is nothing. she has no hope in life. we get to know that her poems and her ideas give him pleasure. 'neither love me for thine own dear pity`s wiping my cheeks dry', this is a very direct reference to her illeness and shows how robert loves her. he cares her & feels pity towards her.' IT IS LOVE THAT CURES ANY DISEASE'

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