Do You Speak the Language of Love? Here's How to Craft Truly Enchanting Love Poems

Are you inspired to write love poems like the countless poets throughout history that came before you? We have some tips to help you create a special piece. Expressing your deepest feelings and connecting with others through words can be challenging. However, with the right guidance, you can learn to write poetry that captures the sentiment of your loved one.

The Importance of Love Poems – Then and Now

Love poems have a long history, tracing back to ancient times where, even then, we see forlorn lovers pining for each other. Sappho is one such example, deemed the "Poetess". She was born in approximately 620 BCE and is known for her contributions to the lyrical poetry genre, often writing about intimate moments of longing, affection, and deep emotion. Other critical poets throughout history are also known for their love poems, including William Shakespeare, but in modern contexts, we see romantic poetic language all around us. From amorous ballads at the top of the music charts to sweet captions on social media posts – love lyricism is everywhere you look.

Themes We See Across Poetry Centred on Love

There are a few golden threads we see presented in poetry about love, and they are not always romantic in nature. These themes include:

• Romantic affection between partners that celebrates a deep connection.
• Unrequited love that is not reciprocated and is often presented as sorrowful longing.
• Self-love and one's journey to a better relationship with oneself.
• Platonic love between friends and the shared moments that make their relationship unique
• Familial love between family members who share a bond through blood.
• Lost love that explores pain, grief, and remembrance.

Elevate Your Vocabulary with Something More Expressive

If you are keen on writing romantic poetry, a simple way to transform your piece is by swapping out your common word use for more evocative language. Instead of "like" or "love", consider words such as "adore", "treasure", "cherish", or "value" to add more depth and meaning. You can also incorporate words denoting love's transcendental nature, such as "magic" or "eternal". The point is to convey your bliss and captivate the imagination of your loved one, so a richer vocabulary is ideal. Here are some more words that may inspire you:

• How You Feel: Desire, devotion, yearning, dedication, and passion.
• How You Show Love: Adoration, cherishing, reverence, admiration, and appreciation.
• How You Describe Your Loved One: Soulmate, beloved, kindred spirit, darling, and companion.

This is not an exhaustive list of words, but it may help you on the right path if you want to express yourself differently while writing about love.

Descriptive Ways to Convey Adoration

"Love" is largely a subjective experience, and people feel, show, and receive love in different ways. It may be difficult to describe it due to how abstract the concept is, but this is always where poetry is a superb form of expression. When writing a poem, you can use highly descriptive language with vivid imagery, metaphors and similes, and terms that awaken the senses. Consider how love can be visually represented, how it sounds, its tactile qualities, aroma, and even taste. You can describe love using examples from the world around us, such as a blooming blossom, summer rain, or a sweet strawberry – whichever way you personally experience it.

Why Choosing a Structure Carefully is So Important

The world of poetry offers various types of poems, each with a unique structure and format that can either enhance or detract from your expression. Sonnets, for example, are often associated with love due to their elegant structure and melodious feel, almost akin to a song. On the other hand, free verse poetry is flexible and can adapt its shape to fit the poem's natural flow without constraints. Take some time to explore different types of poems and determine which style best suits your ideas.

Look to Famous Love Poems for Inspiration

If you want to gain inspiration from famous writers, there are endless options to explore that have stood the test of time. You don't have to limit yourself to the classics, however, as you can also discover contemporary, local talent through our library. Our collection is home to thousands of love poems across all the official written languages in South Africa, and seeing how others express their love may spark your creativity.

We at The AVBOB Poetry Project wish you the best in composing love poems and hope you will allow your heart to guide your verses.