The Most Beautiful Love Poems
Love is the essence of existence, inspiring countless poems throughout history. Below are some of the most beautiful pieces dedicated to love:
- Quoted by Qais ibn al-Muluh:
When you gazed towards me, your eyes spoke,
And my eyes responded, even as we stood in silence.
One glance heralds the promise of our meeting,
While another has my soul teetering on the brink of despair.
When I die from the fear of hopelessness, hope brings me back to life,
For how many times have I died, only to rise again?
Though humans and spirits surround me,
To prevent me from coming to you, I would overcome all barriers.
- Quoted by Qais ibn al-Muluh:
They said, “If you could wish, you would forget her,”
To which I replied, “I do not wish to forget.”
How could I, when her love is entwined in my heart,
As the vine clings to the trellis?
Her love has blossomed in my soul,
And it knows no end, even if scolded.
To my reproachers, I am crushed by their blame,
For their rebuke adds to my suffering.
- Quoted by Jamil b. Thayna:
I fell for her from a young age, and my love for her has only grown,
Even to this day, it blooms and thrives in my heart.
Whenever friends are mentioned, she is all I can recall,
And when greed is discussed, I say, “One day, she shall be generous.”
- Quoted by Abu Firas al-Hamdani:
When the night envelops me, I stretch forth my hands to love,
And shed tears that revealingly expose my pride.
The fire flickers in my chest,
When desire rekindles it, accompanied by thought.
- Quoted by Qais ibn al-Muluh:
Oh, how I long for the valley of waters to welcome me,
And how I yearn for the soul to find peace in this valley.
I cherish the descent into the valleys, for I am surely
A stranger wandering through these lands.
Is it true, servant of Allah, that I am not permitted,
And that I have a watchful guardian?
And that I cannot visit alone nor in groups,
Without being questioned, “Are you suspicious?”
Indeed, in the path of love, what I have endured,
With passion, I live and slowly wither away.
In the cause of love, a tormented heart lives,
Your memory, O Laila, brings joy only at dawn.
O love of Laila, never depart from my soul,
For in my love, even after death, you are near.
Your yearning has settled in my heart,
And between my ribs, it pulses.
If what I feel were akin to pebbles,
And the wind could not hear their rustling,
If my breath were burning with heat,
It would melt iron into a liquid state.
And if I were to seek forgiveness from Allah every time,
Your name crossed my mind, no sins would be upon me.
And if Laila were in Iraq, I would have visited her,
Even if it meant traveling behind the setting sun.
I love you, O Laila, with ardor and passion,
Yet I have no share in reuniting with you.
I love you with a love that has rooted deep within my being,
It courses between my skin and my bones.
I love you, O Laila, with the affection of a devoted lover,
That has ignited a passion in my heart.
I love you until Allah resurrects His creation,
And I will have a reckoning with you on the Day of Judgment.
May Allah bless the land where Laila dwells,
And let it be endowed with rain, abundant and flowing.
So that its meadows might flourish, and its people thrive,
While that place flourishes with rich bounties.
- Quoted by Imru’ al-Qais:
My heart fell for a charming Arab maiden,
Adorned in silk and jewels.
Her gaze, if it fell upon a hermit,
Who fasts for the sake of Allah and is devoted,
Would render him spellbound, tormented by love,
As if he had never fasted or prayed in his life.
- Quoted by Mahmoud Darwish:
Just as grass grows between the crevices of stone,
We found ourselves strangers one day.
And the spring sky composed stars… and further stars.
And I composed a love verse,
For your eyes… I sang it!
Do your eyes know that I waited long,
Just as summer awaits a bird?
And I slept… as an immigrant sleeps,
One eye closed, while the other remains awake for a long while,
Weeping for its sibling.
We are lovers until the moon retires,
And we know that embraces and kisses,
Are the sustenance of romantic nights.
And that the morning beckons my steps to continue,
On a new day, a new journey!
We are friends, we will see at my side hands clasped,
Together, crafting bread and melodies.
Why should we question this path… what fate awaits us,
As we journey together?
And where did we gather our feet?
Let it be enough for me, and for you, as we walk…
Together, forever.
Why do we search for songs of sorrow
In an ancient collection of poetry?
And ask: O our love! Shall it endure?
I love you, with the longing of caravans for a pasture of grass and water,
And the love of the poor for a loaf of bread!
Just as grass grows between the crevices of stone,
We found ourselves strangers one day,
Yet we remain tender forever.