my favorite love poem

Sonnet XIV from the Portuguese

If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
"I love her for her smile--her look--her way
Of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day" -
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,--and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry, -
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou may'st love on, through love's eternity.

by Elizabeth Barret Browning..

My interpretation:

According to Elizabeth, love a person not because of looks, way she/he smiles or how good he/she speaks. Because if these attributes would change, then love for the person changes likewise.

Do not love also for pity's sake on seeing the person cry. For if he/she can not cry anymore, then the love would also dissapear..

But love a person because of love's sake..Because true love is eternal, and will last longer than time. True love is a reflection of God's love for all; whether they love Him or not---#