February 14—Just in time for Valentine's Day, Poets.org, the website of the Academy of American Poets, has published a selection of ten poetic pairings of love poems with corresponding sweets, drinks, and flowers. From the lustful to the sacred, from Shakespeare to Peter Gizzi, the list offers readers a wide range of romantic suggestions to woo and adore a sweetheart. The irresistible combinations are sure to result in wobbly knees, a melting heart, and a thoroughly smitten valentine.
Derek Walcott's deliriously amorous poem "The Fist" is paired with Absinthe, Bittersweet Chocolate, and Poppies; while Elizabeth Barrett Browning's spiritual response in "How Do I Love Thee?" is best served with Muscat Wine, Angel Food Cake, and an Amaryllis. Read all ten poetic pairings for Valentine's Day on Poets.org.
On the web at: www.poets.org/valentine
A vast selection of poems of love, lust and loss can be found on Poets.org—verse to worship a beloved, seduce a sweetie, or bewail a breakup.
On the web at: www.poets.org/lovepoems
About the Academy of American Poets
The Academy of American Poets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1934 to foster appreciation for contemporary poetry and to support American poets at all stages of their careers. For over three generations, the Academy has connected millions of people to great poetry through programs such as National Poetry Month, the largest literary celebration in the world; Poets.org, the most popular site about poetry on the web, presenting a wealth of great poems, audio recordings, poet biographies, essays, and interactive discussions about poetry; the Poetry Audio Archive, capturing the voices of contemporary American poets for generations to come; American Poet, a biannual literary journal; and our annual series of poetry readings and special events.
The Academy also awards prizes to accomplished poets at all stages of their careers—from hundreds of student prizes at colleges nationwide to the Wallace Stevens Award for lifetime achievement in the art of poetry. For more information, visit www.poets.org.