Being in love is one of the most profound and transformative human experiences. It’s a state of heightened emotion, a shift in perspective, and a deep connection that reshapes our world. From the first thrilling flutter to the settled comfort of knowing glances, the feeling of being in love offers an endless wellspring of inspiration. Poets, throughout history and across cultures, have sought to capture this elusive yet powerful state, translating the complex tapestry of emotions, sensations, and altered realities into verse. These poems delve into the very essence of what it means to be in love – the wonder, the vulnerability, the joy, and the simple, extraordinary presence of another. Let’s explore some being in love poems that beautifully articulate this unique feeling.
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Poetry provides a unique lens through which to understand the myriad facets of romantic connection. Unlike narrative prose, poetry often aims to distill emotion and experience into potent imagery and rhythm, making it the perfect medium to explore the sensory and psychological landscape of being in love. The poems that follow offer diverse perspectives, ranging from intense passion and overwhelming adoration to quiet contentment and the sheer comfort found in another’s presence.
The Comfort and Sanctuary of Love
Sometimes, being in love isn’t about grand gestures or overwhelming passion, but about finding a safe harbor, a place of peace amidst life’s chaos. These poems speak to the solace and security found in a loving relationship.
“Come, And Be My Baby” by Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou, a celebrated figure in American literature and civil rights, often explored themes of struggle and resilience. In ‘Come, And Be My Baby’, she offers a tender portrayal of love as a refuge. The poem beautifully contrasts the “rough” and “wicked” outside world with the comforting presence of a loved one, suggesting that simply being together provides a vital sanctuary. It captures the feeling that in the presence of the beloved, the weight of the world lessens, offering a temporary escape and profound peace that comes with knowing you are safe and accepted.
Maya Angelou
“Habitation” by Margaret Atwood
Known for her sharp insights into human nature and society, Margaret Atwood offers a strikingly real view of love in ‘Habitation’. This poem doesn’t shy away from the difficulties of long-term commitment (“the challenges of marriage” and “the work needed to overcome them”). Yet, within this acknowledgment of struggle, it finds a deeper beauty – the wonder of having survived “even this far” together and the shared act of “learning to make fire.” It speaks to the feeling of building a life, facing hardships side-by-side, and finding strength and connection in that shared journey. Being in love, in this context, is a continuous act of perseverance and shared creation.
“Camomile Tea” by Katherine Mansfield
Katherine Mansfield’s short, evocative poem ‘Camomile Tea’ perfectly captures the quiet intimacy and comfort of being in love within the mundane. It paints a picture of two people settled, “so snug, so compact, so wise are we,” finding profound happiness in a simple, shared moment by the fire. The detail of a knee pressing against a knee under a table, the dripping tap, the saucepan shadows – these ordinary elements become imbued with meaning by the presence of the beloved. This poem highlights the underrated joy of peaceful familiarity and the deep sense of comfort that comes with sharing life’s quiet moments with someone you love.
The Overwhelming Power and Intensity of Love
Being in love can also be an exhilarating, consuming force, altering one’s perception of reality and oneself. These poems explore the powerful emotions and transformations that come with deep affection.
“To Be In Love” by Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American Pulitzer Prize winner for poetry, captures the transformative power of love in ‘To Be in Love’. The poem describes being in love as touching “with a lighter hand,” stretching and feeling “well” in oneself. It suggests that love enhances one’s own being, bringing a sense of wholeness and ease. This isn’t just about loving another, but about how that love makes you feel – more vibrant, more capable, more fully yourself. It articulates the intense emotional and internal shift that defines the state of being in love.
To be in love
Is to touch with a lighter hand.
In yourself you stretch, you are well.
“How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
One of the most famous and enduring declarations of love, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s ‘Sonnet 43’ attempts to quantify the immeasurable depth of her feelings. The opening line, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,” sets up a passionate exploration that moves beyond the physical, reaching the “depth and breadth and height” of her soul. This sonnet expresses the overwhelming, all-encompassing nature of being in love, suggesting it’s a force that permeates every aspect of existence, from daily life to the afterlife. It is a powerful testament to the feeling of complete devotion and boundless affection.
“I Love You” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s straightforwardly titled poem ‘I Love You’ lists specific, often sensual, details that contribute to her passionate feelings. From “lips when they’re wet with wine” to “eyes when the lovelight lies,” she enumerates the physical and emotional elements that ignite her desire. The poem builds to the assertion that the “words I love you could never be enough,” highlighting the feeling that the depth of one’s love transcends language itself. It captures the intense, almost overwhelming feeling of physical and emotional attraction combined in the state of being passionately in love.
The Sense of Longing and Inevitability in Love
Love can also manifest as a persistent longing, a feeling of something missing until the beloved is present, or a sense that the connection was always meant to be.
“Yours” by Daniel Hoffman
Daniel Hoffman uses vivid natural metaphors to describe his complete belonging to his lover in ‘Yours’. Comparing his state to “summer air… Possessed by the scent of linden blossoms” or a “snowcap gleam[ing] with light,” he illustrates how his identity and experience are intertwined with hers. The powerful statement, “Without you I’d be an unleaded tree / Blasted in a bleakness with no Spring,” encapsulates the feeling that his very vitality depends on her presence. This poem speaks to the deep, necessary feeling of connection that makes life vibrant when you are in love.
“Dear One Absent This Long While” by Lisa Olstein
Lisa Olstein’s poem ‘Dear One Absent This Long While’ beautifully portrays the anxiety and anticipation of waiting for a loved one’s return. The speaker’s heightened state causes her to mistake natural phenomena – “leaves in wind,” the “shadow of a fox,” “daybreak” – for the beloved’s arrival. This pervasive sense of expectation shows how deeply the absent person occupies her thoughts and how their presence is needed to make the world feel complete and “like itself again” (echoing a theme found in Faiz). It captures the constant feeling of quiet longing and the interruption of normalcy that absence creates when you are deeply in love.
The Complexities and Paradoxes of Being in Love
Sometimes, the feeling of being in love is not simple but a blend of contrasting emotions and experiences – joy and pain, clarity and confusion, freedom and surrender.
“Love is a fire that burns unseen” by Luís Vaz de Camões
The great Portuguese poet Luís Vaz de Camões captures the paradoxical nature of love in ‘Love is a fire that burns unseen’. He describes love through contradictions: “a wound that aches yet isn’t felt,” “an always discontent contentment,” “a pain that rages without hurting.” This speaks to the complex, often confusing feelings that accompany being in love – the way joy can coexist with vulnerability, and comfort with a restless desire. It highlights the feeling that love is not easily defined or controlled, a powerful force that defies simple logic.
“[love is more thicker than forget]” by E.E. Cummings
E.E. Cummings, known for his unconventional style, explores the indefinable nature of love in ‘[love is more thicker than forget]’. He uses a series of abstract comparisons (“more thicker than forget,” “more thinner than recall,” “more seldom than a wave is wet”) to show that love exists outside of simple understanding or measurement. It’s a feeling that is both elusive and pervasive, a state that is difficult to grasp yet deeply felt. This poem captures the feeling that being in love is a unique condition, surpassing ordinary definitions and expectations.
A Deep and Enduring Connection
Finally, some poems speak to the settled, profound sense of connection that develops when being in love matures into a lasting bond.
“I carry your heart with me(i carry it in)” by E. E. Cummings
Another iconic poem by E.E. Cummings, ‘[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]’, expresses a sense of ultimate unity and intertwined existence. The parenthetical structure emphasizes the physical and spiritual closeness: “i carry your heart with me(i carry it in / my heart).” The lines “anywhere / i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done / by only me is your doing,my darling)” beautifully articulate the feeling of two lives becoming one, where individual actions are empowered or influenced by the presence and spirit of the beloved. It encapsulates the feeling of deep, inseparable connection that comes with being truly in love.
E.E. Cummings
“Let me not to the marriage of true minds (Sonnet 116)” by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 116’ offers a definition of love based on permanence and steadfastness. It famously declares that true love “is not love / Which alters when it alteration finds,” comparing it to “an ever-fixed mark.” This sonnet captures the feeling that being in love, at its truest form, is a state of unwavering commitment and stability that endures through time and change. It speaks to the deep, settled conviction that the connection is real and lasting, a foundation upon which life can be built.
Conclusion: The Feeling Translated
Poetry offers a window into the ineffable feeling of being in love. Whether depicting the ecstatic heights, the quiet comforts, the painful longings, or the complex paradoxes, these poems give voice to an experience that often defies simple explanation. They remind us that being in love is not just an event, but a continuous state of being – one that colours our perceptions, shapes our actions, and deeply connects us to another soul. Through powerful imagery, rhythm, and carefully chosen words, poets help us understand, feel, and appreciate the beautiful and varied ways it feels to be in love. These curated being in love poems serve as testaments to the enduring power of this emotion and the art form that seeks to capture its essence. For more on celebrating love through poetry, explore other beautiful poems that resonate with deep emotion and connection.