Love poems are more romantic than a greeting card--with good reason. Taking the time to handwrite a poem shows that you have put time and effort into the sentiments. Not only that, but the very idea of receiving a love poem conjures romance and creates a mood you could never get from something you can buy at the grocery store.

Think of giving a love poem the next time you want to make a gift truly romantic, or just make your lover feel special. But don't just print it out on your computer or photocopy it from a book. Pick out a nice piece of stationary and use your best handwriting to copy out a piece of romantic poetry that says something meaningful. And don't worry if you're not a poet. Writers throughout the ages have been creating love poems based on emotions similar to yours.

Beautiful love poems express a wide range of feelings and moods., suitable for a wide variety of occasions. Some of the most famous are available on The Romantic.com. These include:

Elizabeth Akers Allen: At Last
Anne Bradstreet: To My Dear and Loving Husband
Christopher Brennan: Because She Would Ask My Why I Love Her
Elizabeth Barrett Browning: How Do I Love Thee
Lord Byron: She Walks in Beauty
Robert Burns: A Red, Red Rose
E.E. Cummings: i carry your heart with me
Stephen Foster: Beautiful Dreamer
Omar Khayyam: A Book of Verse
Alexander Pushkin: Wondrous Moment
Carl Sandburg: Under the Harvest Moon
William Shakespeare: Shall I Compare Thee
Percy Shelley: Love's Philosophy
Alfred Lord Tennyson: Marriage Morning

Want something a bit more unusual? Here’s a list of other sites that carry love poems that you can copy and use.

• Romantic Poetry: A comprehensive resource for romantic poetry online. The most famous poems by the most celebrated poets can be found on romantic poetry online.
• Links to Love: Romantic love poetry - the best old and new romantic love poetry and Valentine poetry - you'll find hundreds of romantic love poems and romantic love poetry.
• Love Poems, Romantic Poetry and Friendship Poems:
  Love Poems and Romantic Poetry perfect for daily inspiration.
• 100 Greatest Love Poems Ever Written:
  Choose selections from several categories, including: In Love, Wanting Love, Lost Love, Love of Life, Love of Friends and Power of Love
• Famous and Romantic Love Poems:
  Love Poems in categories including Romantic Love Poems, Famous Love Poetry, Famous Sad Love Poems, Passionate and Sensual Love Poetry, More Sad Love Poems, Famous Poetry in Spanish

Other sources of love poems include modern poetry anthologies, or collections of work from famous poets. You don't have to use the whole poem, and you don't have to use it all at once. Sending a snippet of a poem throughout the day and then including just the final piece with a gift can make the process of gift-giving last for hours -- and the memories last forever.