A love story to change you

I'm sure you've heard in passing the names of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, have you not? Maybe you know that they both wrote poetry and other works.

But you may not have known the phenomenal, passionate, true love story between these two people.

Robert and Elizabeth courted together before marrying, falling in love with who the other person was, particularly through their writings and poetry. They both loved that the other could write.

Now, for the time in which they lived during the Victorian era in England, by the time a woman reached her mid to late 20s, she was too old to be marriageable. Elizabeth was at least 28 when Robert was interested in her, and she was plain. She could not believe that a younger man could desire her, not to mention LOVE her, because she was too old AND her family did not have wealth to add to her appeal. The poems she writes, and love letters to Robert, are to weep over--her intensity and passion. His love moved her soul. It is phenomenal to read. She wrote dozens of sonnets to him in what are called "Sonnets from the Portugese" (because Robert affectionately called her his "little Portugese").

I love her sonnets. Here is one for you to enjoy. You can read more if you want.

The face of all the world is changed, I think,
Since first I heard the footsteps of thy soul
Move still, oh, still, beside me, as they stole
Betwixt me and the dreadful outer brink
Of obvious death, where I, who thought to sink,
Was caught up into love, and taught the whole
Of life in a new rhythm. The cup of dole
God gave for baptism, I am fain to drink,
And praise its sweetness, Sweet, with thee anear.
The names of country, heaven, are changed away
For where thou art or shalt be, there or here;
And this ... this lute and song ... loved yesterday,
(The singing angels know) are only dear,
Because thy name moves right in what they say.