Finding the right words to express love is something that people have struggled with for thousands of years. Thankfully, there were plenty of poets through the ages who have managed to convey the depths of love and found words the rest of us can use in our own relationships. So if you want to show that you really care, sending your soulmate a romantic poem can be an excellent way of doing this. Here you will find the best soulmate poems to show your partner how you really feel.
Short soulmate poems
Poems don’t always have to be multiple-page long epics to be romantic. Some poets have managed to convey the depths of the heart in just a few short lines. These loving poems are included in their entirety so you can send them to the one you love. Although they won’t take up much of their time to read, they will probably leave a lasting impression.
“He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” by W. B. Yeats
Irish poet and writer W. B. Yeats was one of the kings of the yearning romantic poem. Many of his works were dedicated to his muse Maud Gonne. She was a woman he was in love with for years, but she repeatedly rejected his marriage proposals. This poem is one of the finest examples of his dedications to her. Not only does it suit the situation of unrequited love, but it would also be great to send to a partner.
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
“To lose thee, sweeter than to gain” by Emily Dickinson
Iconic American poet Emily Dickinson wrote many untitled poems, many of them very concise and straight-to-the-point while also being profound and romantic. Although this poem centers around the theme of lost love, it comes straight from the heart and soul.
To lose thee, sweeter than to gain
All other hearts I knew.
‘Tis true the drought is destitute,
But then I had the dew!
The Caspian has its realms of sand,
Its other realm of sea;
Without the sterile perquisite
No Caspian could be.
“[Again and Again, Even Though We Know Love’s Landscape]” by Rainer Maria Rilke
Repetition and routine are not concepts traditionally associated with romanticism. However, this short poem by Rainer Maria Rilke details the beauty of small, everyday experiences shared with your soulmate. The poem is the repetition of these little walks and the growing familiarity that make his partner his soulmate.
Again and again, even though we know love’s landscape
and the little churchyard with its lamenting names
and the terrible reticent gorge in which the others
end: again and again the two of us walk out together
under the ancient trees, lay ourselves down again and again
among the flowers, and look up into the sky.
“Love Comes Quietly” by Robert Creeley
Finding your soulmate can really change your life, and you can wonder exactly how you ever thought life was complete before meeting them. This relatable yet intense feeling of soul connection is summed up with marvelous simplicity in this poem by Robert Creeley.
Love comes quietly,
finally, drops
about me, on me,
in the old ways.
What did I know
thinking myself
able to go
alone all the way.
“the very thought of you” by Rupi Kaur
Canadian poet Rupi Kaur has become well-known among poetry fans and the general public for her short and profound poems that gained widespread popularity. Although the first half of this short four-line poem seems explicitly sexual (not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course!), the second half brings a more romantic depth to it.
the very thought of you
has my legs spread apart
like an easel with a canvas
begging for art
Modern soulmate poems
While many celebrated poems are from centuries gone by, the language can be tricky to decipher (unless, of course, you are dating an English Literature student). Thankfully, the 20th and 21st Centuries are also full of outstanding works that may seem more relevant to the object of your affection. The following few poems represent love in the modern day in all of its confusing glory.
“[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]” by e.e. cummings
Modernist poet E.E Cummings (usually stylized as “e.e. cummings” in lower case, like his poetry) was one of the true masters of the love poem. If you would like to describe precisely how entwined your life and heart are with those of your partner, this well-known poem can’t go wrong.
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
“A Soulmate Poem for Him” by Claire Clerihew
Sometimes our partners solve so many of our problems. If you feel like you would be truly lost without your love, this poem by Claire Clerihew is an excellent way to let them know how much they complete you.
You are the key,
slipping into me,
cutting the knot,
untangling the thread,
releasing the butterflies
so that I melt
into the arms of you,
my soulmate,
forever true.
“Lines Depicting Simple Happiness” by Peter Gizzi
It is often the little things that can take great significance when we are with someone we love. In this poem by Peter Gizzi, he describes a simple belt buckle belonging to his soulmate fills his heart and soul with joy.
The shine on her buckle took precedence in sun
Her shine, I should say, could take me anywhere
It feels right to be up this close in tight wind
It feels right to notice all the shiny things about you
About you there is nothing I wouldn’t want to know
With you nothing is simple yet nothing is simpler
“Heart to Heart” by Rita Dove
Ancient civilizations used to believe that the heart was the literal source of emotions such as love. Although we now know that our thoughts and feelings come from our brains, the heart is still a widely-used metaphor. This poem by Rita Dove is a particularly profound example.
I feel it inside
its cage sounding
a dull tattoo:
I want, I want—
but I can’t open it:
there’s no key.
I can’t wear it
on my sleeve,
or tell you from
the bottom of it
how I feel. Here,
it’s all yours, now—
but you’ll have
to take me,
too.
Poems about love itself
In 1993, Eurodance musician Haddaway asked the eternal question, “what is love?” However, he was far from the first to ponder this. Reams and reams of poetry have been written that attempt to answer this and define what exactly the word “love” means, in all of its intangible complexity. The following poems are just a few of many examples that ponder the concept of love itself and are especially profound when shared with a partner.
“[love is more thicker than forget]” by e.e. cummings
Another work by e.e. cummings, this poem explores the mysteries of the emotion that we call “love.” Cummings compares love to an unstoppable force as vast and deep as the sea. If someone makes you feel this complex and confusing feeling, why not send them this poem?
love is more thicker than forget
more thinner than recall
more seldom than a wave is wet
more frequent than to fail
“Variations on the Word Love” by Margaret Atwood
Legendary Canadian writer Margaret Atwood may be most well-known for novels like The Handmaid’s Tale, but she also has an incredible repertoire of poetry to her name. In this work, Atwood muses on how we use the word “love” and its role in our lives.
This is a word we use to plug
holes with. It’s the right size for those warm
blanks in speech, for those red heart-
shaped vacancies on the page that look nothing
like real hearts. Add lace
and you can sell
it.
“love will come” by Rupi Kaur
Believe it or not, this is actually one of the longer examples of Rupi Kaur’s poetry! If you would like to describe exactly how the love of your soulmate has changed your life for the better, this poem is the perfect way to let them know.
love will come
and when love comes
love will hold you
love will call your name
and you will melt
sometimes though
love will hurt you but
love will never mean to
love will play no games
cause love knows life
has been hard enough already
“The Definition of Love” by Andrew Marvell
Unfortunately, love can sometimes be at odds with other aspects of life and lead us to question fate. If you are worried that love may have come at an inconvenient time in your life, this poem by Andrew Marvell may be relatable. However, if you have really found your true soulmate, you have a good chance of overcoming any relationship challenges.
As lines, so loves oblique may well
Themselves in every angle greet;
But ours so truly parallel,
Though infinite, can never meet.
Therefore the love which us doth bind,
But Fate so enviously debars,
Is the conjunction of the mind,
And opposition of the stars.
Long-distance soulmate poems
Most of us have to spend time apart from our loved ones, whether we live overseas or just waiting for them to get back home from work. The pain of distance can often make love burn all the brighter and have you counting down the seconds until your reunion. These poems can prove that your love transcends space and show your soulmate that you are thinking of them from afar.
“My Soulmate, a poem” by Cecil Cinquain
You can just feel the romantic yearning coming from this piece by Cecil Cinquain. If you want to reassure your partner that they are always on your mind even when far apart, this poem is ideal.
My soulmate lives
but distantly and faraway;
and we can never touch
or ever even be in that way,
and I cannot say
that we are much alike—
but when our hearts lay open,
the other understands
and shame is never there,
it is all,
to the little last bit of it,
an unending consent
that not without
I could ever live.
“A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns
Robert Burns is a true legend of Scottish poetry. This poem, written in traditional Scots dialect, lets his lover know that his love lies in wait despite physical distance and that the future is bright for them.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only luve!
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile.
“Echo” by Carol Ann Duffy
Former English Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy explores the sadder side of love extensively in her repertoire, and this poem is no exception. If you are missing your soulmate, this one will really hit you hard.
I think I was searching for treasures or stones
in the clearest of pools
when your face…
when your face,
like the moon in a well
where I might wish…
might well wish
for the iced fire of your kiss;
only on water my lips, where your face…
where your face was reflected, lovely,
not really there when I turned
to look behind at the emptying air…
the emptying air.
“Love Sonnet XI” by Pablo Neruda
Poet, writer and activist Pablo Neruda was one of the most iconic figures in the recent history of his home country of Chile. Among many other things, Neruda was particularly praised for his yearning love sonnets. This one is a magnificent example.
I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair.
Silent and starving, I prowl through the streets.
Bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me, all day
I hunt for the liquid measure of your steps.
Classic love poems for your soulmate
You can’t go wrong with the classics. Some of the most famous love poems are from centuries gone by, proving that love is an enduring theme throughout human history. While these poems were most likely delivered to their intended recipients via handwritten letters, sending them to your soulmate via text can also be romantic. However, if you really want to go the extra step, why not take inspiration from the past and send a love letter?
“Sonnet 18” by William Shakespeare
Perhaps one of the most famous love poems of all time, this sonnet by iconic English writer William Shakespeare is made no less affecting by its familiarity.
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.
“How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The 19th Century had no shortage of romantic poets, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a fine example. In this famous poem, Browning counts many ways that love for a soulmate can change a life.
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 every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
“She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron
English writer and aristocrat Lord Byron was perhaps the very definition of a tortured soul. He was rocked by many scandals in his time, but his heart was as tender as it was fierce, as proven by poems like this one.
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
“Let Us Live and Love” by Gaius Valerius Catullus
Not much is known about Ancient Roman poet Gaius Valerius Catullus, who lived over two thousand years ago. His poems show that romance is as old as time and will probably be here forever.
My sweetest Lesbia, let us live and love;
And though the sager sort our deeds reprove,
Let us not weigh them. Heaven’s great lamps do dive
Into their west, and straight again revive;
But, soon as once set is our little light,
Then must we sleep one ever-during night.
While each poet’s life and circumstances were specific to their own place and time, love is a timeless emotion. So if you have been lucky enough to find your soulmate, don’t hesitate to show them your love—you have the words and wisdom of the romantic poets through the ages to guide you.
