What is a love poem? Is it necessarily a poem about romantic love? About romance? Marriage and commitment? Or is a love poem something else entirely?

In a recent short story I wrote, a writer is told by a young critic that he doesn't understand love. "It's neither noble nor eternal, as you would have your audience believe," she says.

"Nobody understands love," the writer admits. "It seems to be Universal. Timeless. Yet, it's also very individual, filtered by our own lives and expectations. I don't understand love, and can't understand love, because it's a different thing for each of us."

These love poems are Universal. Timeless. And yet very much a different thing for each of us. We hope you enjoy them...

Let the countdown begin.

  • #25
    Valerie Jochum
    Full Heart, Empty Arms Was 42 UP 17
    Love Poems - Cyber Romance Poems: Is the Internet really much different from real life? We love, we hope, and in the end, we accept.
  • #24
    Sea_of_okc
    Thinking Of You Was 25 UP 1
    Love Poems - Cyber Romance Poems: Do you need to look for love to find it? Or is it possible that love might just coming looking for you?
  • #23
    Chole
    Better Untouched Was 28 UP 5
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: Time and distance can often make us wiser.
  • #22
    Dave
    1000 Times For 1 Was 26 UP 4
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: Friendship. Love. And dreams of one becoming the other.
  • #21
    Tara Simms
    He Calls To Me Was 20 Dropped 1
    Love Poems: Can you hear your lover's heart calling to yours?
  • #20
    Christine Cawley
    Are We Still Friends? Was 18 Dropped 2
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: Try as you will, you can never go back…
  • #19
    Matt Whitaker
    More Than Friends
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: Friendship doesn't always lead where we thought it would…
  • #18
    Buster
    My City Was 17 Dropped 1
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: A loving friend can release us from the prison we have built for ourselves. Only to deliver us into another.
  • #17
    John O.
    Forgive Me Was 21 UP 4
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: Mistakes are easier to live with when we know we're not alone.
  • #16
    Diane Blue
    Just Friends Was 14 Dropped 2
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: This poem is filled with sincerity and beauty, and a touch of pain, as it explores what happens when fear comes between friends that could be more.
  • #15
    Jennifer Benfer
    Lustful Longing Was 12 Dropped 3
    Love Poems - Erotic Poems: When love and lust unite, there is a power and beauty that cannot be denied.
  • #14
    Ryan Hull
    Like A Dream Was 16 UP 2
    Love Poems: Just when we give it up on finding Love, we discover it didn't give up on us.
  • #13
    Lesliann Gilardi
    When Friends Go Too Far Was 11 Dropped 2
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: When we cross the line from "friends" to "lovers", we have to be aware that we will be altering the complexion of that relationship forever.
  • #12
    Tina Potts
    Me and You Was 10 Dropped 2
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: Maybe there's no such thing as a <em>simple</em> friendship. And maybe that's even more true when the friends are opposite genders. But this poet recognizes the specialness of her friendship with one person, and realizes that time and patience are her only answers to unasked questions.
  • #11
    Kamma Roberts
    My Heaven Was 9 Dropped 2
    Love Poems - Erotic Poems: 'Tis better to give than receive. Just not always.
  • #10
    Magic
    Beautiful Was 7 Dropped 3
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: The way we see people, the people we love, has very little to do with our eyes.
  • #9
    Kristi Lynn
    Forever Was 13 UP 4
    Love Poems: There are many things that cease to have meaning when Love enters the door. Time may well be one of them.
  • #8
    LoveBugg
    One Day You'll See Was 5 Dropped 3
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: This poem is about hope. 'Cause, sometimes, that's all we ever really have.
  • #7
    Jeffrey Carter
    Passion's Flames Was 6 Dropped 1
    Love Poems - Erotic Poems: Loneliness and desire - ingredients for a memorable night and, perhaps, long days of regret.
  • #6
    John Seabrook
    Missing You Was 15 UP 9
    Love Poems: Distance makes time grow longer and hearts grow closer.
  • #5
    Retina Yazzie
    Can I Love You? Was 8 UP 3
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: When friendship turns to love, there are questions that need to be answered.
  • #4
    Syreeta Elie
    Until We Meet New BEST Poem
    Love Poems - Cyber Romance Poems: For thousands of years, meeting someone was often the beginning of Love. Only now, on the Internet, has it become the culmination.
  • #3
    ShoeBowl
    Hand In Hand
    Love Poems: The night is made for Love, but some nights are more perfect than most.
  • #2
    David Farrar
    The Heat Of My Desire Was 1 Dropped 1
    Love Poems - Erotic Poems: To boil water you add fire. For this talented poet, the fire has a name.
  • #1
    Joe Vieira
    From Friends To Lovers New BEST Poem
    Love Poems - Love and Friendship Poems: Discovering that a friend is actually a lover as well - What a beautiful day for this poet...
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