Sunday 10 April 2022

Sunday Poem- Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning





 I never studied the English nineteenth century poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning and had no fond recollection of any of her poems so I decided to look her up. I do remember watching an old movie years ago that dealt with her courtship by the poet Robert Browning and did remember that she had been an invalid for many years. Poetry Foundation give a great resume of her life and it was an amazing life.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/elizabeth-barrett-browning

 She was for the most part self taught but she did come from a wealthy family and had a very privileged early life.She was a child prodigy in the area of writing and her work engaged with the social and political issues of her times. While she was hailed as a genius in her day and was prolific in her writing she is best remembered today for her Sonnets from the Portuguese. Most of us have heard the opening line of sonnet 43

How do I love thee, let me count the ways.

Follow the link to read and listen to the poem.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43742/sonnets-from-the-portuguese-43-how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-the-ways

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