Editor's note
Ranking is generated by Storgy's classification model, which scores each poem's thematic depth on this subject relative to the rest of the corpus. The list is re-indexed weekly as new poems enter the public-domain corpus.
Best poems about — Storgy
Love.
Twenty-five poems, ranked.
25 of the finest public-domain poems about love, ranked by thematic depth. Scored by Storgy's classification model against the rest of the corpus, and re-indexed weekly as new works enter the canon.
The leading three
01
They Flee From Me
Thomas Wyatt · 1557
“A man reflects on the women who once chose to be with him, especially one who held him close and kissed him — but has now moved on to someone else. He feels hur…”
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02
Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds
William Shakespeare · 1609
“Sonnet 116 presents Shakespeare's belief that true love remains constant, regardless of life's challenges. If love diminishes in tough times or as people age, t…”
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03
Sonnet 130: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun
William Shakespeare · 1609
“Shakespeare takes twelve lines to playfully point out how his girlfriend doesn't fit the grandiose compliments that poets often give to women—her eyes aren't li…”
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The complete index
- 04
Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
William Shakespeare · 1609
Shakespeare wonders if he should compare his beloved to a summer's day but ultimately concludes that he shouldn’t, since summer has its imperfections and eventually fades away. The…
- 05
Sonnet 29: When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes
William Shakespeare · 1609
The speaker is having a terrible day — feeling like a failure, envious of those around him, and convinced that even God isn’t listening. But then he thinks of the person he loves,…
- 06
Sonnet 73: That time of year thou mayst in me behold
William Shakespeare · 1609
Shakespeare's speaker tells the one he loves: look at me and you'll notice I'm aging and running out of time. He uses three images — autumn, twilight, and a dying fire — to illustr…
- 07
On My First Son
Ben Jonson · 1616
Ben Jonson penned this poem following the death of his son, Benjamin, on his seventh birthday in 1603. In the poem, Jonson bids farewell to his boy, expressing regret for loving hi…
- 08
Song: To Celia ("Drink to me only with thine eyes")
Ben Jonson · 1616
A man tells the woman he loves that just a look from her or a kiss on his cup means more to him than any wine could. He sends her a wreath of roses, wishing that her presence will…
- 09
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
John Donne · 1633
John Donne is bidding farewell to his wife before embarking on a lengthy journey, urging her to hold back her tears and avoid making a fuss. He believes their love is profound and…
- 10
The Canonization
John Donne · 1633
Two lovers face criticism from someone who claims they're squandering their lives on love rather than pursuing something "useful." Donne responds, urging them to mind their own bus…
- 11
The Flea
John Donne · 1633
A man is attempting to persuade a woman to sleep with him by highlighting a flea that has bitten them both. He argues that since the flea now has their blood mixed together, they a…
- 12
The Good-Morrow
John Donne · 1633
Two people wake up side by side, and the speaker wonders: what were we even up to before we fell in love? Everything that came before this moment feels like a dream or childhood, e…
- 13
The Sun Rising
John Donne · 1633
A man wakes up beside the woman he loves and feels irritated by the sunlight streaming through the curtains, disrupting their moment. He insists that love is so strong it surpasses…
- 14
To His Mistress Going to Bed
John Donne · 1654
A man encourages his lover to take off her clothes and join him in bed, slowly removing each piece until they are both completely naked. Donne depicts this moment as a blend of rel…
- 15
Infant Joy
William Blake · 1789
A newborn baby hasn't been given a name yet, so the speaker asks what to call it — and the baby responds: "Joy." This sweet moment captures a tiny, joyful interaction between a par…
- 16
The Divine Image
William Blake · 1789
Blake's poem expresses that the four great virtues — Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love — are not merely attributes of God but also qualities inherent in every human being. Since God ins…
- 17
A Red, Red Rose
Robert Burns · 1794
A speaker shares with the person he loves that his feelings are as vibrant and lovely as a blooming rose and as sweet as a well-played melody. He vows that his love will endure bey…
- 18
The Eolian Harp
Samuel Taylor Coleridge · 1796
A man sits outside his cottage with his wife, Sara, enjoying the soothing sounds of an Aeolian harp—a stringed instrument played by the wind. As he takes in the beauty of the eveni…
- 19
She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways
William Wordsworth · 1800
This short poem tells the story of a woman named Lucy, who lived a quiet, unremarkable life in a secluded area of England. She was loved by few—only the speaker truly cared for her…
- 20
Strange fits of passion have I known
William Wordsworth · 1800
A man rides his horse toward Lucy's cottage on a moonlit evening, observing the moon descend as he approaches. Just as it vanishes behind her roof, an unsettling fear seizes him: w…
- 21
When We Two Parted
George Gordon Byron · 1816
Byron's poem is actually two distinct pieces often published together. "When We Two Parted" is a heartfelt, subdued expression of sorrow over a secret love affair that ended poorly…
- 22
Love's Philosophy
Percy Bysshe Shelley · 1819
Shelley observes the natural world — rivers meeting the ocean, winds intertwining, mountains reaching for the sky — and sees it as proof that everything in existence is meant to co…
- 23
Isabella; or, the Pot of Basil
John Keats · 1820
Isabella is a young woman from Florence who falls head over heels for Lorenzo, a servant in her wealthy brothers' household. To safeguard their social standing, her brothers murder…
- 24
Lamia
John Keats · 1820
Lamia is a long narrative poem that tells the story of a serpent-woman transformed into a beautiful human who falls in love with a young man named Lycius in ancient Corinth. Their…
- 25
Music, When Soft Voices Die
Percy Bysshe Shelley · 1824
This short poem expresses that beautiful things leave behind traces even after they fade away — music remains in your memory, the scent of violets lingers long after the flowers ha…
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