Love Poems by Women: An Anthology of Poetry from Around the World and Through the Ages

by Wendy Mulford (Editor)

For over 2,000 years women have been writing love poetry. Here is the first anthology of love poems written only by women. Poets from all ages and all parts of the world, expressing love not only for their male and female lovers, but for parents, children, friends, for art, God, nature, and homeland, are collected here, and include the works of: Sappho, Emily Dickenson, Ono no Komachi, Shadab Vajdi, Alice Walker, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, and many more.

Originally published as: The Virago book of love poetry by Virago Press, Great Britain (1990).

Genres: Poetry, Anthologies, Feminism, Classics, Romance, Womens, Love

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best poetry anthologies in my collection. Be warned though, it is not uplifting. It seems that when women write poetry about love they do not wax poetic about their lover's physical beauty or prowess, instead they write poems about all of the ways love can go wrong. There are about 350 poems in this collection, and I think they might have just scratched the surface.

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The range of selection is wide (from Sappho to Sexton and beyond). But, sorry, my overall impression is lukewarm. The book is organized by themes in an attempt, I think, to give it some impact. But this, I think, makes it seem a bit more scattered. I carried this suspicion throughout that the poems were selected at times for their ability to fit into a particular chapter not because they were the best love poems the authors had to offer. That is the hardship, I suppose, of crafting an anthology. The approach just isn't fully successful here. Still, as a survey of women's poetry, it isn't half bad. The writers represented are, by and large, notable in their own right and many of the poems stand up well on their own. But the book could have been organized to give it a bit more focus.

[Julián Díaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I see, I see the crescent moon through the willow's thick foliage.
I hear, I hear the regular beat of unshod hooves.
You don't want to sleep either?
In a year you weren't able to forget me, you're not used to finding your bed empty?
Don't I talk with you in the sharp cries of falcons?
Don't I look into your eyes from the matt, white pages?
Why do you circle round, the silent house like a thief?
Or do you remember the agreement and wait for me alive?
I am falling asleep. The moon's blade cuts through the stilling dark.
Again hoofbeats. It is my own warm heart that beats so.

[⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ leila ୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was such a diverse collection of poetry + shows the many sides of love.

my favorites:
you are alone my evil and my good; louise labé
extraterrestrial; alicia suskin ostriker
what is tomorrow; edith södergran
desire; shushanig gourghenian
when i hear your name; gloria fuertes

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some real bangers in here. This book introduced me to Alfonsina Storni with her poem Hombre pequeñito translated to Little-bitty man. I've read two other translations of this poem and I like the one in this anthology best. Highly recommend if you like poetry, women and love.

[Cheryl]

I just don't understand poetry well enough to judge these. But I did read them all, and I found a few I liked, and a few lines I loved:

" the houses are murmuring with many small pockets of emotion " (Denise Riley)

" take possession of your vision " (Liliane Lijn)

" I shall smile and bind silken threads around my finger
and I shall hide the little spool of your destiny in the fold of my clothes." (Edith Sodergran)

[Doll Tearsheet · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite poetry anthologies. A must-read for any devotee of women's history or literature. The scope of notable women is exceptional, as is the diversity of culture and era. You will be introduced with many new names and reacquainted with familiar ones. Many breathtaking poems sit in this collection and I keep coming back to them. Especially forward-thinking for having been published thirty years ago now.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some fabulous ones, some that didn't do much for me. A nice collection overall.

[Avalon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not much of a poetry person, but these poems were fun! I'm not going to go too heavy on the review, but I will say, if you like poetry and you love poetry written by women, this collection of poems is for you.

I got this book years ago at my local bookshop and never got around to reading it up until now. And I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.

(I use to be heavily into poetry in high school and that is why I bought it).

[Clau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pff...no. Póñolle 3 estrellas porque me gusta que haxa antologías con desviadas. Pero hasta aí. Estaba dividido en varias partes, pero non logrei descifrar o por que da elección. Creo que me gustaría máis si fose en orden cronológico.
O que si me gustou é que ao final de todo che pon unha mini biografía de cada autora.
Os poemas escollidos podían ser moito mellores, xa que apenas me gustaron uns poucos.
En resumen: Esperábame moito máis deste libro.

[Peggy Heitmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband read this book to me, a few poems every night for the last six months. What a pleasure to hear his voice even if the poems were terrible. Often, we'd shake our heads with dazzled pleasure or outright dislike. But the journey from beginning to end was delightful.

[Fernanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful collection!

[ashna · Rating 5 out of 5]

a beautiful collection of love poems! great variety in style, content, and author. this book has kept me company all summer and I am so grateful for it!

[sofie · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love women’s art

[J.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny story: my mother bought this for me while I was in college and, almost at the exact time she was in the story purchasing it, I was in a bookstore miles away looking at the women's section when this book fell off the shelf and into my hands. So apparently I was meant to have this book.

It's a very good collection of poems, most I've never read elsewhere, all love stories of varying degrees. My absolute favorite in this collection is "On the Road to the Sea" by Charlotte Mew, with the lines:

"I would've liked (so vile we are!) to have taught you tears
But most to have made you smile."

Other poems I enjoyed in this collection are:

"Love Letter" by Carole C. Gregory
"Possibly" by Leslea Newman
"A Zorro Man" by Maya Angelou
"To a Dark Girl" by Gwendolyn Bennett
"To the Spider in the Crevice" by Janet Sutherland
"When I Hear Your Name" by Gloria Fuertes
"Theme and Variations II" by Edna St. Vincent Millay

This is an awesome collection of poets you probably won't find in your English class. These poems are erotic and sensuous, full of longing and desire, despair and need. If you love poetry and are a romantic at heart, definitely pick this book up.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of a diverse group of women, from many different times, cultures, religions, sexualities, ages and races. This collection may not have the premiere poems of some poets, but it is full of poignant verses that I would have otherwise not discovered- which I believe to the one of the biggest pros of an anthology versus a single-author collection. Something I will definitely hold on to to read to my future daughters.

[diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

i don't generally get excited by anthologies, but this book is so thoughtfully edited. it's broken down thematically by stages of love, lust, heartbreak, etc.., while blurring the lines between all. the selections are excellent as well.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

favorite anthology of poetry to date

[HisGirlFridayGirl]

Excelente. De esos libros que te dejan con ganas de más.