Valentine’s Day has finally arrived! Get ready for teddy bear-shaped bouquets, hand-holding couples and chocolate galore. Real talk though—the celebration of romantic partners is not the only love worthy of celebration. Love is celebrating your favorite things (rom-coms in my case!). Love is receiving the truth. Love is knowing what we most desperately need comes from within. In the spirit of such thinking, here are 7 heartfelt poems embodying BOTH the magic and difficulties of love in all its forms:
1. A Poem Celebrating Personal Standards
She didn’t want love
She wanted to be loved
And that
Was entirely different
-Atticus
2. A Poem Depicting Love’s Ability to Unify
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
-EE Cummings
3. A Poem Confirming Existence
I took a deep breath and
listened to the old brag
of my heart.
I am,
I am,
I am.
-Sylvia Plath
4. A Poem Reinventing Love
love does not look like a person
love is our actions
love is giving all we can
even if its just the bigger slice
love is understanding
we have the power to hurt one another
but we are going to do everything in our power
to make sure we don’t
love is figuring out all the
kind sweetness we deserve
and when someone shows up
saying they will provide it as you do
but their actions seem to break you
rather than build you
love is knowing who to choose
-rupi kaur
5. A Poem Recalling Fuzzy Rom-Com Feels
I hate the
way you talk to me
and the way you cut your hair
I hate the way you drive my car.
I hate it when you stare
I hate your big dumb combat boots
and the way you read my mind.
I hate you so much it makes me sick;
it even makes me rhyme. I hate it,
I hate the way you’re always right.
I hate it when you lie.
I hate it when you make me laugh,
even worse when you make me cry.
I hate it when you’re not around,
and the fact that you didn’t call.
But mostly I hate the way
I don’t hate you.
Not even close,
not even a little
bit, not even
at all.
– 10 Things I Hate About You
6. A Poem Calling for Truth
If you love me
For you what you see
Only your eyes would be
In love with me
If you love me
For what you’ve heard
Then you would love me
For my words
If you love
my heart and mind
then you would love me,
for all that I’m.
but if you don’t love
my every flaw,
then you mustn’t love me—
not at all.
-Lang Leav
7. A Poem Advocating Self-Love
If they choose not to hold you,
remind yourself you
do not need his arms.
Not when you have two
of your own.
Hold yourself.
Remind yourself
that the love you
have to give is more nurturing
than he can ever give you,
and you deserve that love,
a far more wholesome love than theirs.
-Nikita Gill
Each poem serves as a representation of life and love itself—short moments and phrases that work together to create a wondrous scheme of meaning, rhythm and unpredictably. We hope that these poems will help remind you to always save room for love not only on Valentine’s Day, but every day of your life!