Mosaic Monday: True Love

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death."

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Do you know the story of Elizabeth Barrett Browning? Elizabeth Barrett was just shy of 40 years old, and an invalid, when her volume, Poems, rose to prominence in England. It inspired the poet Robert Browning, who was six years younger, vigorous and worldly. They met in 1845 and thus began one of the most famous courtships in English literature. Their courtship and marriage was carried out secretly, because of her father's disapproval, and in 1846 Browning carried the invalid poetess off to Italy, where they lived for the remainder of her life.

Valentines and hearts and flowers are ubiquitous today, and they serve to remind us of all that is sweet and pretty; but this is true love, not the Hallmark version. "I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light..." And after all, isn't that what love is all about?

Happy Valentine's Day, dear bloggers!

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.