There has always been love, and we have been writing poetry about it for over 4,000 years. A complex and truly timeless emotion, love – whether passion or heartbreak, infatuation or flirtation – has provoked some of the greatest names in literature to write verse of outstanding beauty. From John Donne and William Shakespeare to Emily Dickinson and Christina Rossetti, the very best classic love poetry is collected in this elegant Macmillan Collector’s Library anthology. That we still read and enjoy these heartfelt poems today is a testament both to their individual genius, and to the enduring power of love.