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Poetry Prompts

Monday Poetry Prompt: How do I love thee?

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This week let’s write a poem responding to the question “How do I love thee?”

Of course, we won’t be able to surpass Elizabeth Barrett-Browning’s sonnet but we can still come up with something new before St. Valentine’s Day. And the “thee” in your poem could be anyone or anything.

I’m stealing this prompt from the founder of Living Poetry who hosted a germination workshop yesterday. We hold these events every two months so if you want to get together on Zoom with a bunch of poets and write a bunch of poems join our Meetup group for details.

I’ll know how much you love me by the number of poems posted in the comments below.

Unknown's avatar

About Bartholomew Barker

Bartholomew Barker is an organizer of Living Poetry, a collection of poets in the Triangle region of North Carolina where he has hosted a monthly feedback workshop for more than decade. His first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular, written in and about strip clubs, was published in 2013. His second, Milkshakes and Chilidogs, a chapbook of food inspired poetry was served in 2017. He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2021. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he lives and writes poetry.

Discussion

16 thoughts on “Monday Poetry Prompt: How do I love thee?”

  1. brightstardancing's avatar

    .

    A very short poem ❤️:

    Count The Ways

    How do I love thee
    I love thee in three
    Truly, completely and eternally

    By – brightstardancing – https://babybunnyknows.wordpress.com/

    .

    Liked by 2 people

    Posted by brightstardancing | February 9, 2026, 2:23 PM
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  4. Cathy Cade's avatar

    Slightly off message…

    How do I miss thee? Let me count the ways
    now we’re apart. I woke up late this morn,
    No pillowed head beside me this fine day,
    to snore throughout the night till after dawn.

    A solitary mug of coffee. Stirred
    as, at the breakfast table on my own,
    the ticking of the wall clock can be heard.
    No slurps or munching while you check your phone.

    I have the television to myself.
    No football now I have remote control.
    And all the tools scattered along the shelf
    are in the toolbox now.
    I’ve fixed that hole.

    I’m bearing up, dear, while I’m here alone,
    my jangled heartstrings settling.
    Don’t come home.

    Liked by 1 person

    Posted by Cathy Cade | February 10, 2026, 7:24 AM
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  6. Stonehead's avatar

    I found you thanks to Mich, who’s posted here, too. I published a cross-examination of love a few days ago, although the poem was written some years back and left languishing in a tatty notebook until now. It offers a different perspective.

    https://stoneheadcroft.com/2026/02/05/apostrophe-to-love/

    Liked by 1 person

    Posted by Stonehead | February 11, 2026, 8:08 AM
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Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Pingback: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways: | Bartholomew Barker, Poet - February 9, 2026

  2. Pingback: How Do I Love Thee, Really – michnavs - February 11, 2026

  3. Pingback: How do I love thee – Therapy Bits - February 11, 2026

  4. Pingback: Ode On An Ice Cream Churn – The Elephant's Trunk - February 12, 2026

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