Poetry Inspired by Love Letters & Courtship Stories

 

• Last week, you, hopefully, wrote a family history poem about your ancestors’ regional histories.
• What did you write? Did you track their land ownership or their lack of land? Did you get them involved in a gold rush or a logging adventure? In my case, I know the Civil War ended in my third great-grandparents' back yard, and I often imagine what that was like for them.
• Wherever you landed, you honored a fleshing-out of your family’s story.
• Please share in the comments if you attempted to write a poem on this topic!

This week, let's look at love and relationships. Love has always found its voice through poetry. Long before text messages and social media, couples exchanged handwritten letters filled with hope, longing, and devotion. These personal messages, sometimes preserved for generations, offer glimpses into the heart’s truest expressions. When transformed into poetry, love letters and courtship stories become timeless tributes, and they connect us to the emotions of those who lived and loved before us. Whether you’re a poet, a genealogist, or someone who cherishes family history, these stories offer a beautiful way to explore love across time.

The image above is a composite I created. The photo is a negative of my maternal grandmother sitting on some Virginia lawn, probably in the 1930s. The letter in the background is one of many her future husband wrote to her while he was away in the service.

Poems Inspired by Love Letters

Love letters are often emotional time capsules, and poets throughout history have drawn from them to create moving verses. Some poems were directly inspired by real letters, while others take the tone, rhythm, or imagery of romantic correspondence and bring it into poetic form. These poems remind us that love is not only deeply felt, it can also be beautifully written.

Here are a few notable examples (book links are Books A Million affiliate links, and I thank you for your suppport!):

• Valentines by Ted Kooser – A modern American poet, Kooser's "Valentines" collects twenty-two years of his Valentine's Day postcard poems, complemented with illustrations by Robert Hanna and a new poem appearing for the first time.

• "Letter" by Sylvia Plath – This poem reflects the complexity and intimacy of written communication between lovers.

• The Browning Letters – This is a complete collection of correspondence to and from Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, including Love Letters.

• "Epistle to a Lady" by Alexander Pope – In the form of a letter, Pope blends satire with admiration.

• "Letters to a Young Poet" by Rainer Maria Rilke – Though written as prose, Rilke's correspondence overflows with poetic language and insight into love and creativity. This particular edition includes what was assumed to be the "lost" letters from the poet to Rilke.

Courtship Stories in Ancient and Modern Poems

Courtship, the dance of attraction, hope, and uncertainty, has always fascinated poets. From arranged marriages to star-crossed lovers, the stories of how people fall in love have filled verses for centuries. These poems often blend tradition and emotion, revealing how love has changed and yet stayed the same across time and culture.

Here are some inspirational courtship poems to explore:

• "Song of Songs" (Bible) – A lyrical and passionate depiction of romantic love and longing in ancient Hebrew poetry.

• "The Love Song of Shu-Sin" (Ancient Sumer) – Believed to be the world’s oldest love poem, written for a sacred ritual between a king and a goddess.

• "La Belle Dame sans Merci" by John Keats – A haunting romantic ballad that explores enchantment and heartbreak in the pursuit of love.

• "When You Are Old" by W.B. Yeats – A tender reflection on love unfulfilled and the enduring power of affection.

• "Having a Coke with You" by Frank O’Hara – A modern celebration of casual, everyday courtship through the poet’s playful and sincere lens.

• "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell – A witty and persuasive argument for love and urgency.

✅ Checklist: Writing Poems from Love Letters or Courtship Stories

☐ Choose a love story: It could be from your own family history, a famous couple, or your personal experience.
☐ Gather the details: Read actual letters (if available), and note specific phrases, dates, places, or emotional tones.
☐ Identify the emotional arc: Is it longing, excitement, betrayal, reunion? Let the feeling guide the poem.
☐ Use the voice of the letter writer or recipient: Consider writing in the first person to bring authenticity and immediacy.
☐ Incorporate direct quotes (sparingly): A short excerpt from a real letter can anchor your poem in reality.
☐ Choose your form: Free verse allows for emotional flow; a sonnet or rhymed form can mimic the structure of formal letters.
☐ Include sensory imagery: Mention paper texture, ink stains, perfume, footsteps, or the feeling of waiting.
☐ Honor the era: Reflect the time period in your language, references, and tone to evoke historical context.
☐ End with a twist or insight: Let the poem reveal something surprising or deeply human about love.
☐ Revise with tenderness: Reread the poem as if the original lovers were reading it. Does it honor their truths?

Final Thoughts

Love letters and courtship stories are more than sentimental memories. These missives echo real people, their real feelings and their real lives. By turning them into poetry, we don’t just preserve their stories, we give them new breath. Whether you’re weaving ancestral tales into verse or finding your own past loves hidden in dusty letters, remember: every love story is worth telling.

And in poetry, it can live forever.