We hope that your Valentine’s Day is full of candy, chocolate, paper hearts, and all kinds of love. Here are our staff’s favorite love and anti-love poems, perfect for those with or without a special someone.
First Comes Love
“The Sun Rising” by John Donne
“An old-school choice, but I think this poem perfectly captures the feeling of first falling in love.”
—Cassie Mayer, Director of Digital Programs
“On Love” by Kahlil Gibran
“This poem speaks to me in many ways, but this is what comes to mind. If you love someone, patience is worth everything. Move back into the heart and stay there. Hold your residence. Even when you might feel a lack of it – that may mean you need to open up and receive more; for you are always surrounded by it.”
—Micah Jefferson, Web Producer
"Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" by William Shakespeare
—Henry Bienen, President
“Tonight in Oakland” by Danez Smith
—H Melt, Education and Youth Services Assistant
Then Comes Marriage
“Late Night Ode” by J. D. McClatchy
“A favorite since I was about 19.”
—Jim Sitar, poetryfoundation.org Senior Editor
“[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]” by E. E. Cummings
“Slightly cliché, possibly too popular. But I don’t care… still my favorite.”
—Justine Haka, Program Associate
“HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU” by Robert Grenier
“I love the short poems from Robert Grenier ’s ‘book’ Sentences (which is very rare, but we do have a Poem Talk here).”
—Natalia Kennedy, Web Intern
“Her my body” by Bob Hicok
“A love poem masking as a cancer-scare poem.”
—Holly Amos, Poetry magazine Editorial Assistant
“Lullaby” by W. H. Auden
—Don Share, Poetry magazine Editor
Then Comes the Baby in the Baby Carriage
“Vita” by Eleanor Ross Taylor
“A favorite love poem about the special bond between big and little people.”
—Fred Sasaki, Poetry magazine Art Director
“Advice from the Grackle” by Susan Elizabeth Howe
“To me this poem is about protecting yourself enough to love other people.”
—Anna Jones, Media Intern
And When All of Those Things Fall Apart:
“I have to tell you” by Dorothea Grossman
“This poem hits me with the weight of every memory of everyone I’ve ever cared about.”
—Polly Faust, Media Assistant
“for women who are difficult to love” by Warsan Shire
“Warsan writes so well about the pain of love and loss that it almost hurts. For anybody who is transitioning out of an impossible relationship, this is for you. (And, I’m so sorry, by the way.)”
—Elizabeth Burke Dain, Media and Marketing Director
“Cocaine” by John Wieners
—Michael Slosek, Web Editor
“Love Letter” by Sylvia Plath
—Meaghan Winston, Web Analyst
Now, to celebrate the emotions with some anti-love songs:
“What’s Love Got To Do with It” by Tina Turner
—Dylan Swisher, Finance and Administration Associate
“I Wonder If I Care as Much” by the Everly Brothers
—Cassie Mayer, Director of Digital Programs
“Bird Song” by Lene Lovich
—Elizabeth Burke-Dain, Media and Marketing Director
“Ain’t No Good for You” by CAKE
—Polly Faust, Media Assistant
The editorial staff of the Poetry Foundation. See the Poetry Foundation staff list and editorial team masthead.