What is a love poem? Is it necessarily a poem about romantic love? About romance? Marriage and commitment? Or is a love poem something else entirely?

In a recent short story I wrote, a writer is told by a young critic that he doesn't understand love. "It's neither noble nor eternal, as you would have your audience believe," she says.

"Nobody understands love," the writer admits. "It seems to be Universal. Timeless. Yet, it's also very individual, filtered by our own lives and expectations. I don't understand love, and can't understand love, because it's a different thing for each of us."

These love poems are Universal. Timeless. And yet very much a different thing for each of us. We hope you enjoy them...