XLIII

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men might strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,–I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!–and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

This poem connects to A Street Car Named Desire very well and has an even stronger connection to Blanche. The poem talks about love and more specifically pure, fairy tale type love. Blanche wants to find love but only fairy tale love. I think that she wants this fairy tale love because not only is it "perfect" but also because she doesn't believe in any other type of love. Unfortunately this desire Blanche has is also part of her downfall because she is reaching for something that is unattainable, made worse by her deteriorating beauty. Even in the poem there is stress on light as there is in the play even though Blanche shuns the light to counter act her lost beauty.