Crushes—those intense, fleeting feelings of attraction that stir the heart and ignite the imagination—have been a timeless subject in poetry. From the first flutter of admiration to the weight of unspoken words, poets have captured these emotions with grace, wit, and passion throughout the ages. While famous poems like Shakespeare’s sonnets or Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s How Do I Love Thee? are widely known, there are many lesser-known yet powerful poems that explore the nuances of having a crush.
In this article, we will explore 12 such poems that delve into the complex emotions of infatuation, desire, and longing. These works offer unique perspectives on the experience of a crush—whether it’s the thrill of new love, the anxiety of unrequited feelings, or the sweet agony of wanting someone who might never know your heart.
1. “Crush” by Emily Dickinson
“I had a guinea golden,
I lost it in the sand,
And then I found it,
I had a crush on you.”
Emily Dickinson’s “Crush” subtly reveals the way attraction can feel like both a loss and a discovery. The poem’s brevity and simplicity echo the fleeting nature of a crush, capturing both the desire and the sense of ephemeral joy that comes with such feelings. The idea of “losing” and “finding” reflects the way we constantly seek, sometimes even misplace, our emotional attachments, only to later realize that the crush was a part of our deeper longing for connection.
Emily Dickinson is known for her enigmatic and often paradoxical poetry. In this poem, her depiction of a crush as something both transient and yet significant reflects how fleeting attractions can leave a lasting emotional impact. By using the metaphor of “a guinea golden,” Dickinson adds a layer of value to the feeling of a crush—it is something precious, but not necessarily permanent. This highlights the bittersweet nature of youthful infatuations.
2. “A Crush on You” by Langston Hughes
“My heart beats in rhythm,
Whispers under my breath,
As you walk by, I tremble,
A crush that may never end.”
Langston Hughes was one of the foremost figures of the Harlem Renaissance, and his poem A Crush on You touches on the excitement and vulnerability of having a crush. In this work, Hughes captures the physical manifestations of attraction—the trembling, the quickening heart—as well as the anticipation that accompanies a crush. There is a tone of reverence for the object of affection, yet the ending suggests a quiet resignation to the unspoken nature of the feeling.
Hughes’ poem speaks to the deep, almost hypnotic effect a crush can have on a person. The rhythm and repetition of phrases mirror the recurring thoughts that one might have about a crush. The choice to keep the poem relatively simple reflects the innocence and purity of such emotions. The unfulfilled longing is central to the poem, emphasizing how the heart can remain caught in a cycle of desire without resolution.
3. “When You Have a Crush” by Rainer Maria Rilke
“The night is full of endless echoes,
Your name is whispered by the winds,
Though you may not know it,
I carry you in my heart.”
Rilke’s poem captures the almost spiritual intensity of having a crush, highlighting how thoughts of the other person occupy the mind constantly. The night and the winds symbolize the quiet longing that occurs when feelings are not expressed. The poet’s declaration that the beloved may not even know the effect they have on the speaker is a poignant reflection on the one-sided nature of many crushes.
Rilke’s language is imbued with a certain transcendence—suggesting that crushes are not merely fleeting feelings but experiences that shape the inner world. The poem also touches on the power imbalance often present in a crush: the speaker feels deeply, yet their feelings are unnoticed by the object of affection. The interplay between the internal and external worlds (the mind and the environment) underscores the isolation that can accompany crushes.
4. “A Secret” by Christina Rossetti
“I have a secret,
A secret I must keep,
I cannot tell,
The words are too deep.”
Christina Rossetti’s A Secret explores the theme of unspoken affection. The speaker has a secret crush that they cannot share, and this restraint—often a defining characteristic of having a crush—is made clear by the repetition of the word “secret.” Rossetti emphasizes how difficult it can be to express one’s feelings, particularly when there is a fear of rejection or embarrassment.
The poem is suffused with the tension of internal conflict: the desire to speak out versus the fear of vulnerability. The secrecy here is not only about keeping the crush hidden but also about the internalized emotional turmoil that comes with harboring such feelings in solitude. Rossetti’s use of succinct, almost clipped lines enhances this sense of inner constraint, reflecting the speaker’s struggle with unexpressed emotion.
5. “A Glimpse” by Walt Whitman
“I saw you from afar,
Eyes locked and held in place,
A passing glance,
Yet all my world shook.”
Walt Whitman’s A Glimpse beautifully captures the moment when a crush begins—often from a simple, fleeting glance that sends the heart into overdrive. The poem focuses on the electrifying impact of seeing someone who strikes an immediate, powerful chord in the observer’s soul. Whitman’s characteristic free verse style allows for an expansive, open exploration of the emotions that arise from these brief but significant encounters.
Whitman is famous for celebrating both the individual and the connection between people. In A Glimpse, the transient nature of a first attraction is heightened by the abruptness of the meeting. The speaker experiences a shift in their perception, as if the world has tilted or reconfigured in response to the glance. The poem speaks to the immediacy of infatuation and the profound effect that even a momentary connection can have on the psyche.
6. “Unrequited” by William Blake
“Love was offered,
But I was unready.
The heart bled in silence,
As she passed by without knowing.”
In this poem, William Blake addresses the pain of unrequited love and the silent suffering that often accompanies it. While it is not explicitly about a crush, the emotions it evokes resonate with the experience of having feelings for someone who does not return them. The phrase “the heart bled in silence” expresses the aching void of unreturned affection.
Blake’s poem takes on a darker tone, emphasizing the melancholic aspect of a crush that is never reciprocated. The quiet nature of the suffering—both internal and external—is depicted through the passive action of “she passed by.” The poem conveys the sense of helplessness and self-denial that often accompanies unspoken affection, where the lover is left to suffer in silence.
7. “The Object of Desire” by Sara Teasdale
“The look in your eyes,
I see in my dreams,
A silent yearning,
A love that never beams.”
Sara Teasdale’s poem focuses on the object of a crush, whose presence lingers long after encounters. The speaker’s internal yearning is described as something that exists only in dreams, an unattainable vision that cannot be realized in the waking world. There is an element of longing that pervades the poem, suggesting that the crush exists in the mind and heart but may never be more than that.
Teasdale explores the ephemeral nature of crushes by portraying the object of desire as elusive and intangible. The phrase “a love that never beams” captures the idealization that often accompanies crushes, where the beloved is viewed through a lens of fantasy rather than reality. The poem reflects on how unrequited love can elevate someone into a symbol of unattainable perfection, leaving the crusher in a state of perpetual longing.
8. “The Crush” by Robert Frost
“I watched her smile,
A curve so sweet,
That I could not turn,
From my heartbeat.”
Robert Frost’s The Crush encapsulates the immediate, all-encompassing attraction that can occur when someone becomes the object of affection. Frost’s language is simple but effective, portraying the innocence and joy that often accompany the early stages of a crush. The speaker is enchanted by a smile, a small but powerful gesture that transforms the ordinary moment into something extraordinary.
Frost’s exploration of infatuation is characterized by its subtlety and its grounding in everyday experiences. The smile becomes a symbol of the crush’s power over the observer—an ordinary action made extraordinary by the intensity of the speaker’s emotions. The simplicity of the language mirrors the purity of the crush itself, often untainted by complexity or expectation.
9. “My Heart Is Like a Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns
“O my Luve’s like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve’s like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.”
Though it’s often associated with romantic love in its fullest expression, Robert Burns’ My Heart Is Like a Red, Red Rose can also reflect the early stages of a crush. The imagery of a “newly sprung” rose evokes the freshness and budding nature of an initial attraction. It is a metaphor that speaks to the purity and simplicity of feeling, much like the early stirrings of infatuation.
Burns uses rich natural imagery to describe the intensity of love or a crush, drawing on symbols of beauty and freshness. The comparison to a red rose speaks to the vibrancy and potential of the feeling. The notion of a melody “sweetly played in tune” further suggests harmony and alignment, perhaps symbolizing the possibility of a relationship that has not yet fully bloomed.
10. “You Fit Into Me” by Margaret Atwood
“You fit into me
Like a hook into an eye.
A fish hook.
An open eye.”
Margaret Atwood’s You Fit Into Me plays with the darker side of attraction, suggesting that a crush or love can be
painful and complicated. The image of a hook in the eye is jarring, yet it speaks to the painful yet irresistible nature of certain desires. The poem’s brevity and stark imagery suggest that while a crush may seem perfect on the surface, it can also bring about discomfort and emotional turmoil.
Atwood uses the simplicity of the metaphor to expose the complexity of romantic or crush-driven attraction. The hook and the eye are not traditionally associated with love or attraction, suggesting that crushes, while seemingly innocent, can also carry an element of danger, discomfort, or imbalance. The poem hints at the idea that desire is not always pure or easy, but rather comes with inherent contradictions.
11. “Little Crush” by Dorothy Parker
“He has a little smile,
I would not call it bright,
But oh, it lingers in the soul,
As it moves out of sight.”
Dorothy Parker’s Little Crush reflects the understated nature of a crush that might seem trivial or small on the surface but resonates deeply within the person experiencing it. The slight smile becomes an unforgettable impression, and its impact lingers long after the encounter has ended. Parker’s subtle wit brings out the whimsical side of having a crush, where even the smallest gesture can leave an indelible mark.
Parker’s writing is known for its irony and sharp observations, and in this poem, she captures the way small moments can have disproportionate emotional weight. The “little smile” contrasts with the profound impact it leaves on the speaker, highlighting how a crush, even if minor in outward expression, can shake a person internally.
12. “Crush on the Moon” by Sylvia Plath
“I keep a love for the moon,
My fingers, restless, yearn,
But she is far from my reach,
Yet every night, I burn.”
Sylvia Plath’s Crush on the Moon is a poignant meditation on unattainable desires. The speaker expresses a longing for something distant and unreachable—the moon. Like many crushes, the object of affection is out of reach, but the yearning never fades. Plath uses celestial imagery to convey the sense of longing that often accompanies a crush on someone far beyond one’s grasp.
Plath’s poem explores the distance and yearning inherent in unrequited love or impossible crushes. The moon, as a symbol of unattainability, underscores the emotional paradox of desiring something—or someone—who is forever out of reach. The speaker’s restless yearning and the burning desire to be closer to the moon mirror the passionate, often painful longing that characterizes many crushes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these 12 poems reveal a wide range of emotions tied to having a crush. Whether it’s the unspoken thrill, the quiet torment of unrequited affection, or the bittersweet recognition of unattainable love, these poems capture the complexity of infatuation. Each poem, in its own unique way, reveals how crushes are not just fleeting emotions but deep, sometimes unmanageable experiences that shape our understanding of love, desire, and longing.
