18 Love Poetry Books To Fall Head Over Heels For
Books of love poems are unique in a special way. Love is a complex and wide-ranging feeling that has ties to everything from romance and family to religion and nature.
Love poems are among the most timeless pieces of literature in the world because these emotions cut over space and time. Old and new love poetry books that explore all facets of what love means can be found on this list.
One of the most profound means of communicating the human soul as it navigates the journey of life and love is via poetry. An excellent poem can convey all of this and more when you are overcome with emotion or delight on the big day.
A touching poem is a great method to make a crucial time even more memorable in addition to your vows. We combed through poetry books, both contemporary and classic, and selected the must-reads on love in order to add emotional depth to your ceremony (and your bookshelf!).
Classic Love Poetry Books
1. Rumi: The Book Of Love: Poems Of Ecstasy And Longing By Rumi, Translated By Coleman Banks
Rumi’s work is featured in a plethora of collections of love poetry. Rumi, a poet from Persia who lived in the thirteenth century, is well known for his works about love, which range from the romantic to the spiritual.
2. The Sonnets By William Shakespeare
The sonnets are a must-discuss topic while discussing love poetry, of course. Many of these poems have probably been read aloud to you more times than you can count, but there are many others that don’t receive the same kind of attention. This collection of 154 pieces contains a small sample of each type of love. (My preferred sonnet 64.)
3. Love Poems Of Lord Byron By Lord Byron
Even in his own day, Byron’s fame and controversy were equal. He is notorious, but his love poetry has remained a mainstay of the genre despite (or perhaps because of) that. Our poets are frequently judged by the high bar he established, which is why we anticipate such vast, sweeping passions from them.
4. Bright Star: The Complete Poems And Selected Letters By John Keats
Keats lived and passed away in obscurity, in contrast to Byron. But ever since, his name has virtually become a household one. No little part of his fame stems from his legendary romance with Fanny Brawne, and the poems and letters he sent to her represent the pinnacle of romantic fiction.
5. Love Poems By Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda is a significant poet on the subject of love. You may locate some of his love poetry collections in any bookstore in the world. Powerful, seductive, and unquestionably passionate, it is simple to understand why it is so adored. When they were first released in the 1950s, these works caused a scandal, but they now strike the ideal balance between the mental and the physical.
6. The Ink Dark Moon: Love Poems By Ono No Komachi And Izumi Shikibu, Women Of The Ancient Court Of Japan, Translated By Jane Hirshfield And Mariko Aratani
These two women are legendary personalities in Japanese poetry, notwithstanding the possibility that western readers are unfamiliar with them. Shikibu was notorious for her liaisons with several princes, while Komachi was regarded as the epitome of feminine beauty. Hirshfield is a skilled poet herself, and her translations of this heartfelt poetry are skillfully and exquisitely made.
Queer Love Poetry Books
7. If Not, Winter: Fragments Of Sappho By Sappho, Translated By Anne Carson
Many are surprised to hear that only one of the poems by the ancient Greek poet, who is one of the most well-known homosexual poets of all time, has remained intact. The pieces of Sappho’s writing that have survived are presented in this collection. The poetry is presented in a straightforward, lovely manner, notwithstanding Carson’s use of footnotes and appendices. Sappho is an expert at writing love poetry, even in fragments.
8. Felicity By Mary Oliver
Having received the Pulitzer Prize in 1984, Oliver’s first collection of poetry was released in 1963. Since then, she has written numerous other volumes and compilations. But she didn’t really get into the romantic stuff until she released Felicity in 2005. Her sincerity will move both ardent supporters and novices.
9. Crush By Richard Siken
In some online forums, Siken’s poetry has developed a cult following because of how beautifully and viscerally they express love. His writing alternately soars and breaks the heart. He particularly depicts the tension and bewilderment that can come with being a young gay man. These are the kinds of poetry that you can read over and over again and constantly discover something new.
10. Haruko/Love Poems By June Jordan
This book includes poems written to Haruko, the woman who was Jordan’s lover in the 1990s, in addition to a collection of love poems by Jordan that have already been published. Jordan depicts both the happiness and excitement of being in love as well as the hurt and rage that can result from being rejected by someone you love.
Anthology Love Poetry Books
11. Love Poems (Everyman Anthology) Compiled By Peter Washington
It’s little wonder that Everyman Anthologies are well renowned. They included the best love poetry from around the world in this anthology. Anyone who is just beginning to read love poetry or who wishes to have all of their favorite verses in one location will find this to be the ideal resource.
12. Erotic Spirit: An Anthology Of Poems Of Sensuality, Love, And Longing By Sam Hamill
Any preconceived impression that love poetry books are all stodgy, chaste, bore-fests will be dispelled by this compilation. These pieces demonstrate that poets have always been among the sexiest, edgiest writers in the world, from ancient Egypt to contemporary America.
13. I Hope You Find Me: The Love Poems Of Craigslist’s Missed Connections By Alan Feuer
The works in this book were written by many authors, therefore it isn’t exactly an anthology. It just so happens that those people use Craigslist. As a prank, journalist Alan Feuer started writing poetry about missing connections. The results from humorous to magnificent.
Modern Love Poetry Books
14. Love Is A Dog From Hell By Charles Bukowski
With the least romantic poetry book on this list, we can always count on Bukowski. The melting, starry love of conventional love poetry is barely discernible in this composition. They instead explored the depths of love and heartbreak in this poetry.
15. Smoke & Mirrors By Michael Faudet
Faudet is a beloved contemporary author who writes with thought-provoking simplicity. Although his works on love loss are occasionally amusing, they do not shy away from sex or heartbreak.
16. Love & Misadventure By Lang Leav
This anthology of love poems is more than just a collection. Leav takes her readers on a trip from the passionate beginner to the heartbreaking conclusion of a love affair. To engage the reader, she chooses to rely on strong emotion rather than intricate structure, and it succeeds.
17. Love Poems By Nikki Giovanni
One of the most popular poets still writing now in America is Giovanni. She is renowned for her candor and ability to enjoy herself with poetry. All the love poems she has written during her career, including those about motherhood and family, are included in this book.
18. O: Love Poems From The Ozarks By Dave Malone
In some ways, the Ozarks are the subject of a love poem in this collection, but for Malone, location and love are intertwined. In order to illustrate the potent cycle of love, he takes advantage of the geographic shift and expansion.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. If you did kindly, let us know what your favorite love poetry books are in the comment section.
