ldquo How do I love thee Let me count the ways rdquo Those words from Elizabeth Barrett Browning rsquo s Sonnets from the Portuguese are among the best-known poetry in the English language She wrote them to Robert Browning before they were married and he was so moved he encouraged her to publish her entire collection of poems But because the language of the sonnets was very tender out of a desire for personal privacy Barrett published them as if they were translations from a Portuguese writer Sometimes we can feel awkward when we openly express affection for others But [... more]