Thursday 14 February 2013

A Love Poem for Valentine's Day

In honour of St Valentine, I thought today I would share one of my favourite love poems.

This is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, from her Sonnets from the Portuguese. Sonnets from the Portuguese also includes the more famous Sonnet XLIII ‘How do I love thee? Let me count the ways’, which is another of my absolute favourites. But I thought today I would share a slightly less well known one.

Sonnets from the Portuguese XXI
Say over again, and yet once over again,
That thou dost love me. Though the word repeated
Should seem 'a cuckoo song,' as thou dost treat it,
Remember, never to the hill or plain,
Valley and wood, without her cuckoo-strain
Comes the fresh Spring in all her green completed.
Belovèd, I, amid the darkness greeted
By a doubtful spirit-voice, in that doubt's pain,
Cry, 'Speak once more---thou lovest!' Who can fear
Too many stars, though each in heaven shall roll,
Too many flowers, though each shall crown the year?
Say thou dost love me, love me, love me---toll
The silver iterance!---only minding, Dear,
To love me also in silence with thy soul.
I love the idea that you can’t say ‘I love you’ too many times, as it can only make things better, just as more stars in the sky and more flowers in the garden make the world more beautiful. I’ve been picking poems to have as favours for my wedding, and this is definitely going to be one of them. Do you have a favourite love poem?

I am not the greatest Valentine’s Day fan – I don’t like the concept that for someone to prove their love they have to go for an over-priced meals in an over-crowded restaurants, and buy roses which any other day of the year would cost a third of the price.  I always cook a nice meal at home for me and my OH for Valentine's Day, and this year I have got him a card - mainly because this year I am able to buy one with 'fiancĂ©’ on the front!

I also unintentionally picked a Valentine’s Day suitable nail polish to wear today; Illamasqua’s Glitterati. This is sold in a set with Viridian on the Illamasqua website, and I actually got it reduced as part of a little spree I had during their sale. It is a really gorgeous dark raspberry/wine shade with different glitters in, including holographic silver and purple/pink glitters. It’s not too ‘in your face’ but is still really sparkly and pretty. Definitely a new favourite!

I am not even going to attempt to take a photo of it on my nails! But The Polish Addict, who always has the most beautiful swatches, has pictures of it on her blog here.

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