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In this post, we’ll show you a variety of poems about life lessons that will educate you about how to learn from your errors. Every one of us has a different experience in life.
These encounters have been documented in a variety of forms, including films and TV productions, books and news stories, blog postings, and poems. Poems about life lessons are beneficial not just for the author, but also for the reader.
These poems seek to address many facets of life, such as hardship and self-awareness, as well as personal fulfilment, thankfulness, and so on. Finding a good life poetry that relates to your position, on the other hand, isn’t easy, particularly if you do not even know where to seek.
We’ve scoured the internet and various offline sources to bring you the most unique and inspirational poems on life lessons that you won’t find anywhere else.
We all make mistakes and blunders, and we all experience frustrations and despair. However, if we are wise, we will learn from these. You may also learn from the lives and experiences of others.
Allow these poems about life lessons to serve as a reminder that life is too short to dwell on disappointments of the past; instead, gain knowledge from them and move on.
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Best Poems about Life Lessons
Let us first take a look at some of the best poems about life lessons. These poems with profound life lessons advise us to ignore the past and focus on the future. When you dwell in the past, you may never be in the appropriate frame of mind to face the future.
1. Love after Love
by Derek Walcott
The time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the other’s welcome,
And say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was yourself.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you
all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.
2. As You Go through Life
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Don’t look for the flaws as you go through life;
And even when you find them,
It is wise and kind to be somewhat blind
And look for the virtue behind them.
For the cloudiest night has a hint of light
Somewhere in its shadows hiding;
It is better by far to hunt for a star,
Than the spots on the sun abiding.
The current of life runs ever away
To the bosom of God’s great ocean.
Don’t set your force ‘against the river’s course
And think to alter its motion.
Don’t waste a curse on the universe–
Remember it lived before you.
Don’t butt at the storm with your puny form,
But bend and let it go o’er you.
The world will never adjust itself
To suit your whims to the letter.
Some things must go wrong your whole life long,
And the sooner you know it the better.
It is folly to fight with the Infinite,
And go under at last in the wrestle;
The wiser man shapes into God’s plan
As water shapes into a vessel.
3. Greed
by Irwin Mercer
When we were born with no possession.
The love received was our concession.
No worries, no fears, no troubles, no fuss.
In mother’s arms we put our trust.
But as we grew, we looked and craved,
and all too soon became enslaved.
The more we saw, the more we wanted.
Our quest for more became undaunted.
Our thirst for more could not be quenched.
The more we grasped, the tighter we clenched.
We scampered and gathered and gathered to hoard.
Possessions became our master and lord.
And when we’re old with our treasures all heaped,
a sad example of what greed has reaped.
Our fists still clenched in a grasping motion,
till at our death, when our hands are opened.
4. Lessons from Dad
by Randy Cadenhead
Love someone as best you can,
but love.
And have a dog,
for it can show you the truest love.
Know God,
and life will make more sense.
Accept that things may fail,
but do all that you can.
Learn, and live on the better for it.
Learn to smile.
Respect and find good in all you can,
and try to avoid the rest.
Be true to yourself,
but also serve others.
Lead by example
and with care.
Find comfort in working good earth,
and grow as well yourself.
Be there for your family,
but wait quietly.
Try to heal their hurts,
but most of all, let them grow.
Be responsible.
Be known as a truly “gentle man or woman.”
Do what you know is right,
and don’t forget to sing.
Live so others will say,
“That is the nicest person.”
There is no greater dignity than the respect
given to one who is truly humble.
5. We Are All Human
by Patricia A. Fleming
I’ve lived quite a while and learned quite a bit
About life and this world where we live.
I’ve found that it’s filled with both good and the bad.
Some who take, while some others will give.
There’s a balance to life in the way it unfolds.
That’s a truth that we all come to know.
They’ll be times we endure some unbearable days
And sleepless nights filled with anger and woe.
Then come those moments of utter contentment,
When it all seems to fall into place,
When all that you are seems so right with the world,
You feel all of your pain’s been erased.
We spend so much time on a quest for ourselves,
Searching for that internal peace.
And on each of our paths we may misstep and fall,
But our need for the answers won’t cease.
We’re composed and we’re driven by our hearts and souls.
Our beliefs grow from what we’ve been taught.
Our dreams are all nurtured by the things that we see,
And our morals from the fights we have fought.
We all look so different; we all have our ways,
And at times we just can’t understand
That inside we’re no different, our humanities the same,
And we all do the best that we can.
Feelings of sadness, grief, joy, and pain,
Feeling lonely and empty and scared.
We each have these feelings, no matter our lives,
And we all yearn for someone to care.
It’s that not understanding each other
Fosters the feelings of hate,
So, we must take the time to learn all that we can,
While forgiving each other’s mistakes.
Yes, I’ve learned quite a lot in my 63 years,
And to look well beyond what I see
To embrace and respect everyone as they are,
And hope that they’ll do that for me.
The world won’t stop spinning, and the sun will still rise.
There will always be conflict and strife,
But accepting we’re all only human
Will make this a much better life.
6. Never Say That Word
by Kevin T. Pearson
It is a small word
with a big bite,
the worst ever heard;
it is just not polite.
If you could hold it,
it would feel like a ton.
Beware not to use it;
it hurts, even in fun.
It never feels nice.
It should never be heard.
Please take my advice
and use another word.
You know how it feels
when someone says it to you.
It takes forever to heal,
even though it’s not true.
You must not forget.
Never make that mistake.
You will live with regret
if you use the word HATE.
7. A Lesson
by Leonora Milliken Boss
When along the street you’re passing,
Note the people whom you meet;
Some whose faces speak of sorrow,
Some who show that life is sweet.
Some who dress in height of fashion,
Some in rags and dirt you’ll see;
Still, they all are human beings.
Of one family, you’ll agree.
Then let us cheer the heart of sorrow,
Let us lift our brother’s load;
As he ever trudges by us
In the journey o’er life’s road.
A word, a smile, a kindly glance,
Hath power to help another;
For all the world’s akin, you know,
We’re sister or we’re brother.
So, give forth good to all the world,
And you’ll find this saying true;
“Give to the world the best you have
And the best will come back to you.”
We each need help in this old world,
And the ones who wear fashion’s best.
May need it more than the beggar in rags,
When they’re put to the crucial test.
So, let your light shine and kindle
That fire which shall warm a heart;
And teach them that, of the Father,
We are each and all a part.
Then let us live in accord with good.
That spark divine, within each one,
Which shall bring in all upliftment,
Now and when the earth life’s done.
We are atoms; this is true, indeed;
But drops in the ocean of life;
But many atoms, working together.
Can overthrow discord and strife.
And many drops drawn from the ocean,
Can make the great sea go dry;
Then, can you not see the good we may do,
If you and I, brothers, just try?
8. Over and Over Again
by Josephine Pollard
Over and over again,
No matter which way I turn,
I always find in the book of life
Some lessons I have to learn.
I must take my turn at the mill;
I must grind out the golden grain;
I must work at my task, with a resolute will,
Over and over again.
We cannot measure the need
Of even the tiniest flower,
Nor check the flow of the golden sands
That run through a single hour;
But the morning dew must fall,
And the sun and summer rain
Must do their part, and perform it all
Over and over again.
Over and over again,
The brook through the meadow flows;
And over and over again
The ponderous millwheel goes.
Once doing will not suffice,
Though doing be not in vain;
And a blessing, failing us once or twice,
May come if we try again.
The path that has once been trod
Is never so rough for the feet;
And the lesson we once have learned
Is never so hard to repeat.
Though sorrowful tears must fall,
And the heart to its depths be riven
With storm and tempest, we need them all
To render us fit for heaven.
9. Life Is Not a Holiday
by Henry Drummond
Life is not a holiday, but an education.
And the one eternal lesson for us all
is how better can we love.
What makes a man a good artist?
a good sculptor, a good musician?
Practice.
What makes a good man?
Practice; nothing else.
There is nothing capricious about religion.
We do not get the soul in different ways,
under different laws, from those in which
we get the body and the mind.
If a man does not exercise his arm
he develops no biceps muscle;
and if a man does not exercise his soul,
he acquires no muscle of soul,
no strength of character,
no vigor of moral fibre,
nor beauty of spiritual growth.
Love is not a thing of enthusiastic emotion.
It is a rich, strong, vigorous expression of
the whole round Christian character –
the Christlike nature in its fullest development.
And the constituents of this great character are
only to be built up by ceaseless practice.
10. Possibilities
by Abimbola T. Alabi
We never know if we’re right
If we’re not willing to be wrong.
We never know how far we’d go
If we never fight hard and long.
No one can learn to walk
When they are not inclined to crawl.
If we want something to stand,
We have to risk letting it fall.
Many are prospects for success
That quietly pass us by
Merely because we’re no longer willing
To step out and give it a try.
There are opportunities to fly
We miss sheltered in our cocoon.
Many are chances for a win,
We miss because we quit too soon.
Life stows hard realities.
Mistakes at times, we’re bound to make.
But it’s also full of possibilities;
It’s up to us how much we take.
Famous Poems about Life Lessons
Let us now take a look at poems about life lessons by famous poets. Procrastination is never beneficial. If you want to achieve, you must avoid procrastinating. This, and many other essential lessons, will be taught to you by these famous poems about life lessons.
1. Life’s Lesson
by Bernhart Paul Holst
While yet a child, on ocean’s shore,
I gazed across the restless sea;
I heard the music of its roar
And wondered what it meant to me.
In those sweet years I longed to sail
Mid treasures rare of ages’ lore;
I set my canvas to the gale
And steered my vessel far from shore.
With joy I sailed the summer sea
While skies were bright and winds were fair,
But storms soon disappointed me
And drove my vessel here and there.
And when arose the tempest wild,
It tossed my ship on billows wide.
It swept me back where as a child
For joy and pleasure, I had sighed.
Ah! well, if we could only know
In early years, so sweet and kind,
What joy and pleasure from us flow?
As we leave childhood years behind.
2. Don’t Kill Yourself Living for Others
by Nsikak Andrew
Never make a disadvantage of your life,
While trying to make others happy.
Let family problems to be by their self,
If you must solve it, let it be at your time;
If you carry them as your problem,
You might live never to solve yours.
It is not everybody you should carry along,
Those who agreed with your ideals you should carry;
But those who don’t find a way to keep them off.
Every problem from home, let them be at home,
And those at the workplace, let remain there;
If you seem to carry them all along,
Then remember that you’re digging a slow grave
That might in the long run consume you in no time.
3. The Wisdom of Children
by Annabel Sheila
Wonder what it’s like to be scared every day,
Knowing war and destruction are on the way?
Not able to run and play in the park,
Never camp out in the yard after dark.
A lot of children in far off places,
That look of fear etched onto their faces.
They don’t have the freedom to make a choice.
Their stature is small and so is their voice.
Through the eyes of children, if we could see
How they view the world and how it should be.
Maybe if we lend an ear to them now,
We could make changes – they’d show us how.
Their innocence is wisdom; their honesty real,
No prejudice in them, true humanity they feel.
The lessons we’d learn would be like no others.
Imagine a world of sisters and brothers.
4. Fighting for Their Affection
by Lauren Bowman
If they make you
work for their attention
fight for their affection
beg for their love
realize
you will spend a lifetime
yearning
wanting
chasing
something
that was never yours
and never will be.
5. Positive and Negative Thinkers
by Nsikak Andrew
Think positively and act positively,
Then you will be become;
What you want to be in life.
Losers think negatively,
Act negatively and live negatively;
These in itself never allowed them,
Amount to anything positive in life.
Never sit among negative thinkers,
Because if you do, their pattern of thinking;
Would rob on you and you will become like them.
A positive thinker sees the opportunity,
That a negative thinker calls impossible;
A negative thinker’s mind always thinks of defeat;
Why a positive thinker always thinks winning?
Negative thinkers want things,
To be on a platter of gold;
Just as a positive thinker wants,
Them to be worth taking the risk.
6. Believe in Change
by Nsikak Andrew
Never resist change if you do,
You might remain in one spot;
For the rest of your life.
Change is an unforeseen hand,
That changes our destiny for good.
Change your attitude,
To change your destiny;
Change will only come,
If you believe in yourself.
7. The Past Is Gone Forever
by Nsikak Andrew
The only thing,
That can bring back;
The past is nothing.
Living in the past,
Is the only option available;
To die before your time.
Those who live in the past,
Are never known in the future.
If the past is gone, let it be,
You can never bring back;
The past, trying to live in it.
Moving forward is the only option,
That is available to forget the past.
8. Procrastination Is a Killer in Disguise
by Nsikak Andrew
Never keeps today’s work,
For tomorrow because if you do;
You will never find another tomorrow,
To accomplish today.
Anyone who lives,
In doing today’s work tomorrow;
Never live to do the same.
Procrastination is like one step forward,
And two steps backward;
It never takes anyone anywhere.
Procrastination makes us forget that life,
Is too short to waste our time waiting;
For tomorrow instead of starting today.
If you must succeed, never procrastinate,
The same idea you procrastinate about starting;
Will within your very eyes be taken be another.
Anyone who keeps making excuses,
For anything shouldn’t be taken seriously;
The future belongs to those,
Who never give room to procrastination;
Anyone who procrastinate will ever,
Remain at one spot no matter how he tries.
9. Life Lessons
by Kimberly Johnson
I sat at the bedside
of a dying man.
With tears in his eyes,
he reached for my hand.
Technology had failed him,
his prognosis very poor.
He needed something different.
He needed something more.
The BP cuffs wraps tightly
around his dwindling arm
tell me the numbers I look for
to guarantee no harm.
It all seems so redundant
just a little matter of fact,
for the boundaries of life and death
are far too abstract.
Instinctively, I knew his needs.
It all seemed crystal clear.
My touch, my voice, my presence
as the angel of death loomed near.
His respiration was labored now.
His consciousness began to fade.
I remembered all the times we shared
and the promises that we made
To remember what really matters
within the confines of the heart.
To love, to honor, and cherish
and kindness to impart.
My teacher of life’s lessons
took his final breath.
I felt the peace within his soul.
His spirit now at rest.
This is the essence of caring,
the touch of the human soul.
No BP cuff or stethoscope
will ever make one whole.
10. What I Would Have Done Differently
by M.B. Victoria
There would have been
so much I would have
done differently
if only I had known
how beautifully
it would all turn out.
But, you see, if I had
done even just one
thing differently,
it might not have
turned out the way it did.
Short Poems about Life Lessons
Here are some short inspirational poems about life lessons. According to these short poems about life lessons, it requires a bold mind to answer the call of fate. If you believe you have a calling to achieve your destiny, you then need a golden heart to face life’s many trials.
1. Secrets Under Trees
by Jessica Knight
Tiny little secrets
Get buried in the dirt,
And if they were dug up,
Someone would probably get hurt,
So, leave them safely there,
To rot amongst the leaves,
Admiring instead,
The truth in summer’s green trees.
2. Truth
by Judy A. Carrier
There comes a time in all our lives
when truth will set us free,
so, live each day as though you know
your last it may well be.
And when you make mistakes, my friend,
as we’re all sure to do,
be not so quick to judge yourself
and lay all of that blame on you,
for none of us are perfect.
We know that from the start.
Just do your best from day to day,
and listen to your heart.
3. The Irreplaceable
by Irwin Mercer
If you foolishly spend your money,
you can always earn some more.
If you happen to melt your sundae,
there’s plenty more at the store.
If you happen to wreck your bike,
you can get one just alike.
Carelessly drop your candy bar?
The candy stores not very far.
But when you’re old and look to the past,
wondering how it went so fast,
You realize all things you waste,
that of time you can never replace.
4. Life Will Bloom When It Is Ready
by Vic Lejon
I keep pulling
on my roots
urging them to grow
impatient for the bloom
and the sunshine
and the growth
but it doesn’t work like that
tears flow, soil drenches and dries
there have to be some slower days
some rainfall, even snow
—life will bloom when it is ready
5. Be Proud of Who You Are
by S. Raine
I come with no wrapping or pretty pink bows.
I am who I am, from my head to my toes.
I tend to get loud when speaking my mind.
Even a little crazy some of the time.
I’m not a size 5 and don’t care to be.
You can be you and I can be me.
I try to stay strong when pain knocks me down.
And the times that I cry are when no one’s around.
To error is human or so that’s what they say.
Well, tell me who’s perfect anyway.
6. No Matter Your Age
by Catherine Pulsifer
There are so many lessons to learn
No wonder our parents were concerned.
We never stop learning no matter our age.
The worse of these are the years of teenage.
As we age, we often find
We have to keep an open mind.
Many times, we thought we knew it all
Only to realize how quick we could fall.
So, no matter what your age pay attention
To the lessons that others do mention.
7. Live to Learn
by Bayard Taylor
Learn to live, and live to learn;
Ignorance like a fire doth burn,
Little tasks make large return.
Toil, when willing, growth less;
“Always play” may seem to bless,
Yet the end is weariness.
Live to learn, and learn to live,
Only this content can give;
Feckless joys are fugitive.
8. I Have Learned
by C. Benson
I have learned that
Mistakes can often be set right,
That anxieties fade,
That calamities have sometimes a compensating joy,
That an ambition realized is not always pleasurable,
That a disappointment is often
Of itself a rich incentive to try again.
One learns to look over troubles,
Instead of looking into them,
One learns that hope is
More unconquerable than grief.
9. Our Environment and Growing Up
by Nsikak Andrew
The environment we grow up,
Has an indirect way of affecting us;
Either positively or negatively,
It is left for us to choose which other way;
We want them to directly or indirectly affect us,
Our environment is one factor that shapes our attitude;
Towards how we response to issues affecting us,
If our environment is right, our responses will be right;
But if wrong, ours will be wrong,
Honesty is imbibed in the environment;
We grew up just as dishonesty is the same.
10. Teach Them Well
by Kirsten Robinson
You are not defined
by the way other people
see you
treat you
love you
You are defined
by the way you
see yourself
treat yourself
love yourself
Others will do unto you
as you teach them how to;
teach them well
Inspirational Poems about Life Lessons
Here are some inspirational short poems about life lessons for you. These inspirational poems about life lessons encourage you to accept the unknown. You could come across something beautiful you weren’t even looking for.
Life is a blessing. Enjoy it while you still can. And, as they say, age is just a number. You have all the chances in the world to accomplish all of your goals.
1. The Value of Contentment
by Nsikak Andrew
Contentment brings happiness,
Just like discontentment brings unhappiness;
It is in your discretion to choose which suits you.
What gives a peace of mind is contentment,
If you’re contented, you will eliminate envy;
And hatred shall be far away from your doorstep.
Unhappy people are discontented people,
And all they do is to blame others for their unhappiness;
Discontentment brings along emotional pains,
It makes you feel deeply depressed;
And invite others to have self-pity on you.
Suicide sometime comes as a result of discontentment,
If you’re contented, you will realize that no matter;
The turbulent of the sea, there is always a calm day,
That would always have a truly smooth sail.
If you see a man who is dissatisfied with everything,
Such will never be contented and all he does is strive;
To be like others and at the end has nothing to show for it;
But rather, poor health might drive him to his early grave.
It is lack of contentment that makes us feel disheartened,
Anytime we see or hear the good news of others success;
Instead of rejoicing with them, we feel our hearts with hatred,
That would only succeed in keeping us at the bottom;
In as much as we remain discontented with others progress.
Contentment gives us the ability,
To see opportunities that otherwise;
Would have eloped us in a moment of discontentment.
2. Gold Around You Backyard
by Nsikak Andrew
Before you make the very mistakes others made,
Home is home and there is no place like home.
Even when a Prophet is not known,
In his home land but still know;
That charity begins at home,
You cannot build another man’s land;
And expect others to build yours.
What you go in search of in another land,
Is right behind your backyard;
All you need is patience and persistence,
To discover what you’re looking for.
Foreign land is one place to groom yourself,
But to release your full potential;
It would only be appreciated,
In your backyard which is your home.
To your home,
You’re their treasured gold;
And to the rest of the world,
You’re just a diamond.
3. Many Clothes of Opportunities
by Nsikak Andrew
Opportunities are clothed in rags,
And looks like hard work;
But her end is what brings,
All the fortune we need.
Every difficult task has an opportunity,
To discover the hidden route to your greatness;
All you can do to get there is never,
To turn back the hand of any opportunities.
Do not follow the multitude,
When it has to do with opportunity;
Because the one you might reject,
Could be the one that would drive you;
To your very desired goal in life.
Opportunity knocks but once,
And a better way to recognize it;
Is to grab it with both hands,
It’s when you do this;
That many other doors would open.
4. Brave Mind and The Call of Destiny
by Nsikak Andrew
Never be limited to the call of destiny,
Destiny belongs to the brave mind;
It is them that will possess their possession,
In the flourishing land of the living.
Braveness is no child’s play,
You have to consciously build your mind;
At all time to become brave in other,
To overcome life many turbulent times.
You can never kill a lion by coming soft at heart,
But rather becoming brave with a will-heart;
That it can be done no matter the risk involved.
Brave men look for many battles to conquer,
But the lily-liver looks for the slightest fault;
To make an already mountain look mountainous.
A brave man’s perception is to go all out,
And win no matter what, but that of a lazy man;
Is to complain even when he sees the opportunity to win.
Great mind is never bordered about the many sorrows,
That comes their ways but all they do is worry about;
How to overcome them no matter the price to be paid.
5. Experience and Our Behavior
by Nsikak Andrew
The behavior we have is as a result,
Of the many experiences we passed through in life.
Our experience with people goes a long way,
In shaping our behavior to anyone that comes our way.
No matter the experience you have in life,
If your behaviour is always in doubt;
People will tend to disassociate from you.
A good man is not known by his years of experience,
But by the behaviour he puts across to people.
Always be of good mannerism,
In that you can win the heart;
Of him that seems to hate you.
Experience might advance you,
But it is your attitude in behavior;
That will take you there.
6. The Time of My Life
by Alora M. Knight
I realize I’ve reached the time
When it’s very plain to see
That I now must be selective
In what my preferences will be.
No longer can I toss a coin
To see which direction, I should go.
As far as speed in getting there,
Only one would fit, and that is SLOW.
It’s wise to have a goal each day,
There is no doubt about it.
A reason to rise each morning.
No one should be without it.
Still, if I decide to dilly-dally
Throughout the passing day,
A bit of procrastination
Is bound to come my way.
I can read with great delight
Great books that I’ve forgotten,
And if I chose, I now can read
The ones that were verboten.
I do not waste my energy
On things that can’t be changed.
If I spent time on past mistakes,
I soon would be deranged.
Life has much to offer
To each and everyone.
I hope to conquer many things
Before my time is done.
When I’ve fulfilled my challenges,
And hopefully passed each test,
Then I will wave a fond good goodbye,
Content I’ve done my best.
7. Accept Responsibility
by Nsikak Andrew
The worst you can do,
Is to blame others;
For your misfortune.
If you keep blaming others,
You might never have the time;
To discover where the problem,
Is actually coming from.
Every fortune or misfortune,
Is at first our direct or indirect making;
This is so because we either see,
Or fail to see where it all started.
Taking responsibility for our actions,
Doesn’t seem to make us a loser;
But rather it makes us stronger,
To avoid other such mistakes.
A man of foresight accepts responsibility,
Without passing the blame to others.
8. The Best Day of My Life
by Bhumi N. Deshpande
The best day of my life,
When will it be?
When I score top grades,
Or get a meal free?
Or gain great respect
Or buy a beautiful mansion,
Or travel the world
Or live sans tension?
If I pause my assumptions
To give it a thought,
That day of my life
Is not one in the lot.
Yes, my best day
Will not be of my success,
But the day I overcome
My failure distress.
The day I treat me well,
The day I respect me,
The day I impress me,
The day I feel free.
The day I am determined,
The day I stand confident,
The day I feel proud of me,
The day I am ardent.
The day when I love me,
The day when I stop strife.
That will surely be
The best day of my life.
9. When You Are Willing to Let Go
by M.B. Victoria
When you are willing
to let go of
what you are used to
and what you are
comfortable with,
you will be given
exactly what you need
to get to where
you truly want to be.
10. Not Perfect
by Anonymous
Don’t let the vague darkness give blindness in your eyes;
Let your heart illuminates both the beauty and the lies.
You won’t last in this life not reading between the lines;
And getting conquered with pain,
With all those hurtful cries.
The life ain’t perfect,
In mind, a thought to keep;
There are times you’ll have no choice
But to pray wind your hands leaped.
Be prepared for surprises for events may quickly flip;
Or else you’ll lose your grip and far away you’ll slip.
Positive Poems about Life Lessons
Let us now go through poems that summarize crucial life lessons. One of the things that these poems tell us is that we should not be the pessimist in our lives. Being an optimist is the proper way to progress. These positive poems about life lessons will fill you with positivity and optimism.
1. Build A Positive Outlook
by Nsikak Andrew
Just like habits are formed,
Building a positive outlook is also formed.
The reputation you build around people,
Is what will help you attain your height later in life.
Desire to be a positive person,
And you will find yourself reaching;
Your desire goal in life.
Never look to find fault in others,
But look around for the positive side.
It is these sides in them that will enable,
You discover the true person in you.
Let your focus always be on the positive side of life,
This will go a long way in helping you,
Build trust around all you do.
Whatever you see, is what you will get,
If you keep finding fault;
That is what you will get but if not,
You will get what you find.
The best way to build a positive outlook,
Is to invest in others.
The amount of time you invest in others,
Is what will make others invest in you.
2. Pessimists and Optimists
by Nsikak Andrew
Living around a pessimist,
Is the worst thing that can happen;
To a jolly good fellow,
The only thing they have;
As stock in trade is complaining.
Optimists are sets of happy people,
Who surround themselves;
With positive life pattern,
That makes them over-comers;
No matter the ups and downs.
An optimist never thinks of himself,
But love to think of others;
And see how it can be done to improve them,
Mistakes are never his worries;
He takes them and makes no show of them.
3. Forgiveness
by Mary Masillo
I know forgiveness is good for my soul and my health.
A smile on my face is definitely my personal wealth.
I’ve lived too long holding a grudge
And found out if I wanted it to end, I had to budge,
So, I extended the olive branch and it was received.
In fact, it was easier than I perceived.
Sometimes forgiveness starts in your heart and winds up on your lips.
This was my experience, and now I give you these tips
Please don’t wait as long as I did because the benefits definitely outweigh the risk.
Forgiveness is the short cut to a big fix.
4. Life Isn’t Black and White
by Lauren Bowman
You can be unhappy and still be in love.
You can be in love and still walk away.
You can walk away and still feel the weight of loss.
You can feel the weight of loss and still stand tall.
You can stand tall and still be grieving.
You can be grieving and still find joy.
You can find joy and still miss what you had.
You can miss what you had and still long
for more.
5. Wisdom’s Woods
by Aaron Stone
For every time I’ve failed,
For every time I’ve screwed up,
For every time I’ve said “I’m Sorry,”
And for every time I’ve not.
For every heart I’ve broken,
For every stone unturned,
For every one I’ve damaged
Due to an action or spoken word.
No, I’m not a loser.
I know I am no failure.
Some things take longer to learn.
In the end, I’ll have things mastered.
Regret? I’ve had aplenty.
Self-loathing? I’ve lived that, too.
Walked away too many times,
Stepping closer to something new.
I know where I’m going.
I’m taking longer than I should,
But these setbacks are not failures,
Only detours through Wisdom’s Woods.
6. Attitude for Gratitude
by Nsikak Andrew
A heart of gratitude is feels,
With the attitude that bless each of his day.
Learn to count your blessing,
And never your problems;
It is in counting your blessing,
That your troubles will go away.
Do not let any situation in life,
Makes you forget to be grateful;
For the air you breath,
As little as the air is, it is all you need;
To be in the land of the living.
Learn to give thanks in all that comes your way,
It is in giving thanks that all will be well;
If complaining is more than gratitude,
Then we’re living an uncertain kind of life;
That makes depression our best friend.
7. Life Is Precious
by John Read
The gracefulness
of a butterfly,
how gentle,
and fragile they seem.
Gently fluttering,
on a calm summer’s day,
floating like,
a dream.
But sadly,
their time is over,
Hardly before it’s begun.
So, enjoy
your special moments,
like a butterfly,
in the sun.
8. The Stream of Life
by Lubka M. Novak
Life… the essence of living
to breathe, to nourish, to create,
to exist on a common plain
and known no difference.
What if the world was this simple?
That the greatest life achievement,
The richest reward one could give
was to reap and bestow love.
The water falls from the skies,
nourishes the land, the living growth,
creates a stream…creates life.
We bathe in its glory,
we shelter from its harshness,
and sweeten our lips with delight.
We taste of love in the same manner
why do we not dance to the tune so simple?
and seek for nothing else?
9. Think about life
by Tara P.
Think about life and all it means.
It’s about faith and following your dreams.
Happiness comes in every kiss,
Of life and love,
And sweet, pure bliss,
giving us something to think of.
Remember those days when you were a child
The world was a better place and never changed,
There was love in every smile,
And plans were never rearranged.
So, you’re a kid and one day you’re an adult.
That doesn’t mean that there’s nothing beautiful left to see.
The facts of life aren’t your fault,
And life can be anything you want it to be.
In the circle of life there can be hard choices,
Just remember your dreams,
And remember loving voices,
Maybe then you’ll see life isn’t always what it seems.
It’s not the torture of sorrow,
That comes with every day,
It is a joy of a new tomorrow,
And the happiness that will come to stay.
Think about life and all it means,
It’s about faith and following your dreams.
10. Be Thankful
by Anonymous
Be thankful that you don’t already have
everything you desire. If you did, what would
there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitation, because they
give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you are tired and weary,
Because it means you have made a difference.
It’s easy to be thankful for the good things
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
Also thankful for the setbacks.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
And they can become your blessings.
Deep Poems about Life Lessons
Let us now take a look at some really deep poems about life lessons that will shake your heart way quicker than anything else. Reading and comprehending these poems that teach a moral lesson will help you understand the true meanings of life.
1. A Snowflake Falls
by Ruth Adams
One night I saw a snowflake fall.
Past memories it did recall.
And as the snow fell to the ground,
So quietly without a sound,
I watched until a blanket made,
To glistening white – brown earth did fade.
An untouched cover until the dawn.
The sun arose; it was soon gone.
I thought of friendships in the past.
Seemed perfect though they did not last.
And family ties once meant so much,
Now rarely do we keep in touch.
So quickly life can take a turn,
Yet slowly we do seem to learn.
So many things in life can change
And suddenly be rearranged.
In our slumber while we do sleep,
For granted blessings thought to keep,
For same as night does turn to morn,
An untouched blanket can get torn,
The things that we have overlooked,
Ignored, rejected or mistook,
As melted snow does turn to slush,
Relationships can turn to dust.
So, this year for the holiday,
Praise God for blessings given today.
Don’t take for granted they’ll remain,
That life forever will be the same.
Let’s be the most that we can be,
For all our friends and family.
Unlike the snowflake on the ground,
Let’s keep in touch and stay around.
2. Forgiveness Is Divine
by Patricia A. Fleming
Some people view forgiveness
As a virtue for the weak.
An act of mercy undeserved,
That serves no useful need.
They stand firmly in their judgment
And won’t consider a mistake.
They prefer to hold a senseless grudge
Then accept amends when made.
They feel they have some godly right
To reject and criticize.
They’re possessed by righteous anger,
And consumed by pointless pride.
They’re focused on how they’ve been wronged,
And won’t be made the fool again.
So they feel they must avenge themselves
By refusing to give in.
They will sacrifice their family,
Or forsake a long-time friend.
Do anything they have to do
To be the winner in the end.
Or perhaps it’s that they can’t resolve
The depth of all their hurt,
Caused when someone they’ve trusted,
Left them questioning their worth.
But no matter why the struggle,
Out of pride or out of fear,
Not being able to forgive
Can cause the loss of ones most dear.
Yes, forgiveness is a virtue,
They even say it is divine.
But more than that it sets you free
From what weighs you down inside.
The best way to approach this life
Is to ask forgiveness and to forgive.
There’s a balance to this crazy world,
So live and just let live.
3. If You Must Go
by Terry Gouveia
If you must go, then go for a while
Remember that first step is a hard traveled mile.
To learn what lessons life has in store,
You must be willing to open each door.
Don’t be afraid to experience something new
For each experience will be a benefit to you.
Never live your life in the past
Enjoy every day as if it were your last
Mistakes you will make along the way
Learn from them, and you’ll be okay
Set your goals high and strive for them
As long as you try, you’ll never be condemned
Be kind and respect the people you meet
For they may be the ones to make life complete
Be sincere in everything you do
And treat others as you wish they would you
Whatever you do, make sure you’re content
For the last thing you want is something to resent
So if you must go, then go for a while
And when you return, return with a smile.
4. Take Time to Know Me
by Denise Marcia Whyte
Take time to know me, and you will see
That I am nothing like what you have heard spoken of me.
Give me a chance, and I will prove to you
That although I am not perfect, I have a heart that is pure and true.
Take time to know me; just give it a try.
You will see that we are not that much different, you and I.
I make mistakes, don’t you?
But if you judge me by mine, expect that you will be judged by yours too.
Take time to know me; you have nothing to fear.
Unless you wish to hang on to what you have been told by your peers.
Just for a minute put yourself in my shoes.
How would you feel if someone was going by the rumors, they have heard about you?
Take time to know me; what have you got to lose,
Besides the so-called friends who have got you confused?
I am not asking you to choose between me and them,
And if they really care about you, they will always be your friends.
Take time to know me is all I ask,
No great feat or extraordinary task.
Then if you don’t like me,
It will be because of what you have seen and heard for yourself
And not because of what you have been told by someone else.
5. True Joy
by M. Jolynn Rawson-Hunt
I’ll be happy once I’ve done this certain thing.
We all say this often, not realizing what it brings.
We look only to the future for our happiness,
Letting life slip through our fingers in its fullness.
Will we really feel complete when the task is done?
or look back and see how we missed so much fun?
Self-consumed so we can’t see anything else,
hurting those we love as well as ourselves.
So many things around us to be grateful for.
When seeking for an answer, willingly open the door.
So often, others see what’s in front of our face,
but we’re too blind to look as we’re snared in the race.
What is this life supposed to be about?
Is it money, fortune, fame, or a big house?
When speaking to a man on his dying bed,
none of these answers are what he said.
Family, love, laughter is what we should seek.
These are the precious things that keep life from being bleak.
6. As Time Passes
by Jenni-Fiere M. Bivens
As the seconds pass,
We look back
At what our lives have held.
As the minutes pass,
We see what fell through the cracks.
Parts of our lives we withheld.
As the hours pass,
We think of what we learned,
What we have taught,
What we have forgot.
As the days pass,
We wish a lot could be returned.
We wish we would have never fought
You hope they forget me not.
As years pass,
You stand alone.
They have all grown,
Married and gone
Or on their own.
As your life passes,
You stand proud,
Looking how well they raise their own.
You did well.
Live on…
7. Brevity
by Patricia L. Cisco
Life’s brevity, so bittersweet,
depends upon just one heartbeat.
Brief as dusk and swift as dawn,
twilight hour, has come and gone.
Like waves that kiss a sandy shore,
returning to the ocean floor,
and brilliant stars that streak the sky,
must bid the universe goodbye,
and so, it is with you and I,
and so, it is with you and I.
So, play in waves that kiss the shore.
Enjoy the twilight hours more,
and wish upon the stars that shine,
for only now is yours and mine,
and so, it is with you and I
till this brief life we bid goodbye!
8. A Poison Tree
by William Blake
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath; my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I watered it in fears
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,
And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
9. Life Lines
by Randy Cadenhead
Walk where you have never been
and wonder at the beauty of this world.
Wish for the best, but work,
and for its own reward.
Give more than you receive
and share of it.
Be moderate in all things,
except goodness.
Wait your turn
and, on occasion, give it away.
Learn, if just to know,
grow wise.
Dream often,
and find a way to live your fondest.
Do all you can
never to hurt another.
Help someone daily;
it will heal your hurt as well.
Find something you enjoy;
it takes but one to make you happy.
Read,
for a book can change your life.
Write your own story,
you may change another’s world.
Restore something old
and treasure it.
Reward freely,
repay always.
The greatest dignity is in the respect
given to one who is humble.
Obey and serve,
when it is due.
Always do what is right,
but do so ever with kindness.
Be confident in yourself
and humble before all others.
Befriend those who need,
for they can be the truest.
Love wholly and long
one who is worthy.
Give and receive love fully,
for that is the breath of life.
Be kind to all who will accept it,
and be fair to all others.
Beware that some are not good
and avoid, but never fear them.
Believe in something better,
and live to make it true.
Dig in good earth;
sow new life.
Reap with pride;
cook for pleasure.
Live fully within each moment you have,
for time will not return the chance.
Laugh out loud,
listen always.
Know the taste of longing
and the joy of play.
Listen to the music
you can find in silence.
Sing for the joy of it,
dance for its freedom.
Pray, even when it hard to believe,
for man was not meant to be alone.
Save for tomorrow,
each day.
Share from your heart
and with your hands.
Forgive as you can,
for we are all only human.
Accept what you cannot change,
remember warmly and wisely.
Stand for something that matters,
treasure memories most of all.
Trust when you can,
but doubt when you ought.
Know that despite it all,
life is good.
10. You Don’t Have to Be a Doormat
by Patricia A. Fleming
When I was young and insecure,
And desperate to be liked.
I tended to withdraw in pain
And flee instead of fight.
All I wanted was to get along.
Conflict was not my style.
So, despite what people did to me,
I took it with a smile.
So, whenever someone hurt me,
I’d stuff those feelings deep inside.
Forgive but not forget it,
Just take it all in stride.
But anger tends to fester.
It’s not so easy to control.
Just like a dormant bomb that’s lit,
One day it will explode.
I’ve suffered many sad regrets.
I’ve felt my share of shame
For releasing all my pent-up ire
On the ones who weren’t to blame.
So, I would not advise this practice
Now that I’ve grown old and wise.
I’ve learned a great deal in my time,
And there’s some truths I realized.
In life you must be tolerant,
But you also must be strong.
You don’t have to be a doormat
When someone does you wrong.
You must carefully pick your battles,
Knowing when to let things go.
Don’t seek revenge or try to hurt,
For what you reap you’ll sow.
Don’t back down but don’t attack,
Hold your tongue but speak your mind.
You can defend yourself and others,
And still manage to be kind.
It’s important that you love yourself.
This is the love that must come first.
If you can’t see how grand you are,
Then no one else will see your worth.
A good rule of thumb to follow,
Show the world by what you do –
That you will gladly give respect
But will expect the same for you!
Poems about Life Lessons Learned
Let us now go through some poems about learning from mistakes. These poems about life lessons learned will bring about a paradigm shift in your thoughts.
1. I Still Matter
by Patricia A. Fleming
I’M STILL HERE
My looks are nothing special,
My face reveals my age,
My body shows some wear and tear,
And my energy’s not the same.
Too often my memory fails me,
And I lose things all the time.
One minute I know what I plan to do,
And the next it may just slip my mind.
I try hard to avoid my mirror.
There are things I would rather not see,
And even those times when I just catch a glimpse,
I can no longer recognize me.
The things I used to do with ease
Can now cause aches and pains,
And the quality of the things I do
Will never be quite the same.
I always compare my older self
To those younger versions of me,
And I know I’m wasting too much time
Missing who I used to be.
But the thing that really makes me sad
Is despite what people see,
Underneath my tattered, worn-out shell,
I’m still the same old me.
My heart can still feel endless love,
And at times it still can ache.
My heart can fill with so much joy,
And then it can suddenly break.
My soul can still feel sympathy
And longs for forgiveness and peace,
And there are times its light shines boldly through,
And times when it longs for release.
It’s true, maybe now that I’m older,
Feeling lonely may be status quo,
But it also has made me more willing
To forgive and let past conflicts go.
So maybe to some I look ugly and old,
A person who barely exists.
I’m still quite aware of the beauty inside,
And my value should not be dismissed.
So, although not as strong and no beauty, it’s true,
I’m still here and want so much to live,
And I know that there’s no one in this world quite like me,
And no one who has more to give.
2. Good Timber
by Douglas Malloch
The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.
The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.
Good timber does not grow with ease,
The stronger wind, the stronger trees,
The further sky, the greater length,
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.
Where thickest lies the forest growth
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.
3. Each Moment Is Precious
by Patricia A. Fleming
Live in the moment,
Just take it all in.
Pay attention to everything,
Right there and right then.
Don’t let your mind wander
To what’s coming next.
Cherish this moment
And give it your best.
Don’t let tomorrow
Make you rush through today,
Or too many great moments
Will just go to waste.
And the person you’re with,
In that moment you share,
Give them all of your focus;
Be totally there.
Laugh till it hurts,
Let the tears drop.
Fill up each moment
With all that you’ve got.
Don’t miss the details;
The lesson is there.
Don’t get complacent;
Stay sharp and aware.
It can take but a moment
To change your life’s path.
And once it ticks by,
There is no going back.
In just 60 seconds,
You may make a new friend.
Find your true love,
Or see a life start or end.
You become who you are
In those moments you live.
And the growth’s not in taking
But in how much you give.
Life is just moments,
So precious and few.
Whether valued or squandered,
It’s all up to you!
4. Changing the Past
by Donna
The past is the past for a reason.
That is where it is supposed to stay,
But some cannot let it go.
In their heads it eats away
Until all their focus becomes
The person they used to be,
The mistakes they made in their life.
Oh, if only they could see
That you cannot change what happened,
No matter how hard you try,
No matter how much you think about it,
No matter how much you cry.
What happens in your lifetime?
Happens for reasons unknown,
So, you have to let the cards unfold.
Let your story be shown.
Don’t get wrapped up in the negative.
Be happy with what you have been given.
Live for today not tomorrow.
Get up, get out, and start living,
Because the past is the past for a reason.
It’s been, and now it is gone,
So, stop trying to think of ways to fix it.
It’s done, it’s unchangeable; move on.
5. Speak the Language of Your Heart
by Patricia A. Fleming
Each day we wake is such a gift;
No moment’s guaranteed.
Tomorrow isn’t promised,
But to fate we must concede.
We cannot know our futures,
How long or short our lives.
We simply do the best we can
Until the end arrives.
And in life, what’s most important,
In the scheme of every day,
Are the people who stand by our sides
As we venture on our way.
Those cherished, loyal, patient souls,
Who take us as we are,
Who look beyond our foolishness,
Our frailties and our scars.
How often do we take the time?
To lay our hearts down bare
And tell them how we truly feel
And just how much we care?
Do we freely give a compliment
And acknowledge efforts made?
Or do our own quite fragile egos
Make us feel far too afraid?
Have we tried to overcome our pride
And forgive another’s wrongs?
Or do we cling to hurt and anger
And carry grudges far too long?
Do we share our blessings willingly
With those who are in need?
Or do we hoard our own good fortune
Out of selfishness and greed?
It’s the people all around us
Who make us who we are?
It is they who save our erring souls
And fill our lonely hearts.
So, it’s time we show some gratitude
And not wait another day.
For before we even know it,
Our chance may slip away.
It’s past time to say I love you
And forgive another’s sins.
We must let ourselves be vulnerable
By letting others in.
For one day, tomorrow will not come;
We may not meet again.
For inevitably, for each of us,
It all comes to an end.
So go ahead and say the words;
Make today a start.
Don’t regret your silence;
Share the language of your heart.
6. Family Circle
by Melissa G. Nicks
When I am born, you are here
In your eye, I see a tear
Time flies and already I’m two
“Look, Daddy, I can tie my shoe!”
Before you know it, I’m five
Every day, you thank God I’m alive
Pretty soon, I turn eight
You tell me I’m never allowed to date
I’m already twelve in my preteen years
Which means you’ll help me with all my new fears
Now fourteen with my permit to drive
Waiting to hit the big one-five
Too early comes sixteen, with my license now
It went by too fast, you just ask how
You want to meet my boyfriend when I’m eighteen
I pray to God that you’re not too mean
The same guy two years later asks for my hand
I’m relieved when you say, that’s just grand
About a year later, you walk me down the aisle
Through all the tears, you bare a smile
Three years later, you’re gonna be a grandfather
You show love and pride for your new granddaughter
Another year down the road
Mom dies, oh the many tears that flowed
You’re not doing so well without her
Less than a year later, you forgot all about her
Alzheimer’s sets in and it scares me so
Not long after, you decide to go
Now I’m regretting not saying goodbye
Every time I think about it, I start to cry
The cycle has begun again
It has started over with little Megan
The other day, she turned two
And said, “Look, daddy, I can tie my shoe!”
7. Perceptions
by Abimbola T. Alabi
First impressions can be strong
About those we see around.
Yet how often are they wrong?
That is the truth I’ve found.
Not all who cry are weak.
Not everyone who looks can see.
Not all who are quiet are meek.
Not all who nod agree.
Not all who snarl is cruel.
Not everyone generous is just.
Not everyone clumsy is a fool.
Not all who wander are lost.
We never know people’s character.
In just a single instance.
We never know who people are
By judging from a distance.
But whether we like it or not,
We’ll always be around people.
Is it better to know a few people a lot?
Or a lot of people a little?
I’d rather know a few people a lot
Than a lot of people a little.
8. Lessons for Living
by Alora M. Knight
I see you looking at your children,
Wondering what their lives will be.
If you verify some answers
Then their future you might see.
Have you taught them to be truthful?
Have you taught them to be kind?
Have you given them the wisdom
Needed to be color blind?
Have you taught them to be caring
For those handicapped some way?
Do you read to them at bedtime?
Have you taught them how to pray?
Have you taken time to tell them
What a miracle life is?
How to be aware of nature,
Share the beauty that it gives?
Have you taught them how important
It is to have respect for one another?
To be grateful, not be prideful
When good fortune you discover?
Do you let them know you love them
In a way that leaves no doubt,
So, they know that is one thing
That they will never be without?
We like to think we’ve done our best.
Sometimes that’s very true.
Can you say ‘yes’ to all my questions?
I will leave that up to you.
I hope your answer is affirmative,
For then I know that you will see
A future filled with happiness
Like it’s supposed to be.
9. Keep on Smiling
by Alexandra Skiathitis
If at times you feel you want to cry
And life seems such a trial,
Above the clouds there’s a bright blue sky,
So, make your tears a smile.
As you travel on life’s way
With its many ups and downs,
Remember it’s quite true to say
One smile is worth a dozen frowns.
Among the world’s expensive things,
A smile is very cheap.
And when you give a smile away,
You get one back to keep.
Happiness comes at times to all,
But sadness comes unbidden,
And sometimes a few tears must fall
Among the laughter hidden.
So, when friends have sadness on their face
And troubles round them piled,
The world will seem a better place
And all because you smiled.
10. Temperance
by Abimbola T. Alabi
Get annoyed with someone
And explode in fury
But later after calming down
You’d look back
On the huffing and the puffing
And the ranting
And the chanting,
Only to wonder,
What was I thinking?
Get smitten with someone
And lose all sense of judgement
But when their true colour emerges
You’d look back
On the pleasing and the teasing
And the needing
And the pleading,
Only to wonder,
What was I thinking?
Get let down on an expectation
And end up frustrated
But later when things work out
You’d look back
On the fretting and the sweating
And the scurrying
And the worrying,
Only to wonder,
What was I thinking?
But if in the heat of the moment
We can pray for the grace
To maintain a clear head
And a quiet heart
To control the thrilling or feeling
Or the raving
Or the craving.
Later, we won’t have to wonder,
“What was I thinking?”
Long Poems about Life Lessons
Life provides you with the motivation to overcome obstacles that will lead to your triumph. If you intend to give life a chance to flourish, you will undoubtedly discover success along the road.
This is what most of long poems about life lessons teach us. Here are some of those poems on life lessons for you.
1. Pebbles
by Derek T
Time has grown frantic
Moves by us so swiftly
Too often overwhelmed
Losing sight of life’s gift
A priceless luxury
Can’t turn back the clock
True purpose hidden
Behind deadbolt and lock
Stop for an instant
Just take in the keys
Close your eyes, exhale
Lose yourself in life’s melodies
Yearn for the sunshine
Rain pounding your roof
Days of elation
Never straying aloof
Be spontaneous and free
Always do the unplanned
Cherish this rose garden
Don’t let it slip through your hand
Anticipate all
Misfortune and bliss
Always be humble
Give your mother a kiss
Take nothing for granted
Every pebble’s unique
Required to channel
Our cascading creek
That meanders and turns
To locations unknown
Revealing those gems
Which shown you have grown
So, follow the symphony, every movement and measure
Relax with each rest for it brings lasting pleasure
Lavish trophies and treasures
Don’t prove you are wealthy
Eyes to the heavens
Be grateful you’re healthy
Trillions can’t purchase
Ten fingers, ten toes
Angelic smiles
Only daughters disclose
Selflessly offer
Umbrellas for shelter
Long sleeves for comfort
When temperatures are bitter
Hold doors for strangers
And those ones you adore
Kind, minute gestures
Give this life so much more
Your sun is now setting
Final shadows are cast
Tears won’t stop flowing
Flags flown at half mast
But all will rejoice
As you lie down to rest
Having spent every second
Living life to its best
Take nothing for granted
Every snowflake must melt
Time always retrieves
The cards you were dealt
Heart fully flushed
Fulfilled all your dreams
Combination cracked
Locks burst at the seams
Completed your symphony, through basses and trebles
Built a sound mountain from all of these pebbles
2. Time Keeps Marching On
by Patricia A. Fleming
Time passes all so quickly,
Moments melting into years.
It’s true, time waits for no one,
And the end is always near.
We live a life so tenuous,
So easily it’s gone.
And no matter what we each endure,
Time keeps marching on.
We take refuge in the moment,
And we cling to every day.
We pretend it’s all forever,
Just to keep the end at bay.
We hearken back to childhood,
When the world was filled with treasures,
And our lives and what the future held
Was beyond what we could measure.
When our family was our everything,
There was still no place like home.
And with our best friends by our sides,
We came into our own.
And though we took our private paths,
We all have kept in mind
That in life our greatest struggle,
Is our battle against time.
Will we get to know what true love is?
Will we have the things we need?
Will we conquer all our greatest fears?
Will we fail or will we succeed?
And then as we grow older,
And the future shrinks away,
Our lives become more memories
And less about today.
We share our wisdom and our hope
With the children in our lives,
And say good-bye to those we loved,
Who once stood by our side?
But there’s a peace in growing old,
As time becomes more dear.
And who we are and why we’re here
Becomes so crystal clear.
And we see time is not the enemy,
But how that time was lived.
And if we took all that we could,
Or gave all that we could give.
For in our final hours,
As our time begins to wane.
The goodness that our soul’s bestowed,
Is all that shall remain.
3. A Psalm of Life
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, —act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
4. If
by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so, hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
5. Do not go gentle into that good night
by Dylan Thomas
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning, they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
6. Desiderata
by Max Ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
7. The Builders
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
All are architects of Fate,
Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great,
Some with ornaments of rhyme.
Nothing useless is, or low;
Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest.
For the structure that we raise,
Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays
Are the blocks with which we build.
Truly shape and fashion these;
Leave no yawning gaps between;
Think not, because no man sees,
Such things will remain unseen.
In the elder days of Art,
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
For the Gods see everywhere.
Let us do our work as well,
Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house, where Gods may dwell,
Beautiful, entire, and clean.
Else our lives are incomplete,
Standing in these walls of Time,
Broken stairways, where the feet
Stumble as they seek to climb.
Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
Shall to-morrow find its place.
Thus, alone can we attain
To those turrets, where the eye
Sees the world as one vast plain,
And one boundless reach of sky.
8. What Makes You Better Than Me?
by Carolyn Lewis
Who are you to think of me the way you do?
Who gave you the right to rant about me?
Tell me who deemed you the man or the judge?
Why do you hold in so much jealousy?
Who are you to stare and make fun and make me your next casualty?
You silly little person, what makes you think in any way that you are better than me?
Material things you may have more of,
but that is not what makes me.
I am a very beautiful person inside and I am filled with nothing but generosity.
So, when and if you ever wise up
and begin to understand that there is more to life then cruelty,
you will come to this place where I am at.
Filled with love, joy, everlasting happiness and much assurance.
Hopefully you can see past all the hurt that you are spitting out.
Come on, it’s time to grow up and understand what this life is really about,
because money and things don’t make a person only.
Your inside makes who you are.
Don’t continue to be so harsh to others.
Learn to shine brighter than that shooting star
So again, I must ask of you be true to who you really are.
In every way I think of you as a beautiful person,
so, what makes you so much better than me?
9. Listen to Your Child’s Stories
by Nandita Shailesh Shanbhag
First day Lily arrived late from school
Mom thought she was playing the fool
Angrily, what happened asked she
Lily replied “A monster detained me”
Mom said “That is so absurd!”
There are no monsters in this world
The second day her schoolwork was in a mess
Mom thought that she was being careless
She asked “What were you doing all day?
From the monster, I was trying to hide away
Mom said “This is so absurd!”
There are no monsters in this world
The third day Lily refused to go at all
Mom felt it was just a tantrum small
She threatened her with a beating
Lily replied “The monster may be waiting”
Mom said “This is so absurd!”
There are no monsters in this world
The fourth day, Lily complained of a stomach ache
Mom said please do not fake
She said I am tired of your repeated lies
Lily replied “The monster will make me cry”
Mom said “This is so absurd!”
There are no monsters in this world
The fifth day, Lily fell ill and took to her bed
Mom forced her to go to school instead
She ranted at her, asked her why
The monster will hurt me, I shall surely die
Mom said “This is so absurd!”
There are no monsters in this world
For this little girl, there was no sixth sunrise
For her new teacher was a monster in disguise
He caught her alone and took her life
After torturing her for hours with a knife
Monsters are real, the mom realized too late
If only she could have saved her baby from this fate
So, listen to your child’s stories really well
About her little anxieties they may tell
A sordid tale may be hidden in her tears,
Lend a patient ear to her innocent fears.
Pay attention to her words and understand
For her safety and security lie in your hands.
10. Lessons
by Brenda J. Young
What are the lessons that we so deeply need to learn? Are they lessons of making things better and bright? Are they lessons of change making things, right?
Are they lessons that teach us today? Lessons of hope, are they honest and true? These lessons are what make me and you!
These lessons we learn are they happy or sad? Do we love and forgive or do we stay mad? The lessons in life are future events.
Lessons not handled make empty a plan, a lesson in life is like two birds in the hand. One lesson to love one lesson to hate. Which one to choose? Which one to make.
Lessons not easy so hard to discern, no better answer than the lesson well learned. Learn the lessons the people say. Lessons well learned are easy to replay.
When the lesson is learned you don’t make the same plan. You know the one that was messed up, that bad deal of a hand.
Lessons in life are awesome at best because of the change that it makes in our hearts. They are lessons in life that never depart. Learn the lessons with all your heart.
Poems about Life Lessons and Struggles
These poems about life struggles could be just what you’re looking for. These poems will assist you in overcoming your difficulties and achieving your life objectives. When you focus on the good aspects of life, you will go a long way in life.
1. The Roller Coaster Life
by Anonymous
We are just in a whole crazy,
Perplexing roller coaster ride;
When we have problems,
We are at the downside.
But sure, the time will come
When with the sky we’ll collide;
Where the good feelings came
And the pain will all subside.
So, when the time comes
you are going to fall;
You should always know
That He’s the one to call.
Eventually, you’ll soar up;
The wheels will start to roll;
‘Till you reach the peak,
and You’ll be standing tall.
2. The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
3. What Is Our Life?
by Sir Walter Raleigh
What is our life? The play of passion.
Our mirth? The music of division:
Our mothers’ wombs the tiring-houses be,
Where we are dressed for life’s short comedy.
The earth the stage; Heaven the spectator is,
Who sits and views whosoe’er doth act amiss?
The graves which hide us from the scorching sun
Are like drawn curtains when the play is done.
Thus, playing post we to our latest rest,
And then we die in earnest, not in jest.
4. In complications of life
by Anonymous
In the complication of life,
We often lose our say,
Things become really though,
That we often lose our way,
Life is such my friend,
You can’t fake it or pretend,
When it hits you hard?
You have to find a solution,
You have to find your own way…!!!
Life is like a camera.
Just focus on what’s
Important and capture
The good times.
Develop from the
Negatives and if things
Don’t work out.
Just take another shot…!!!
5. Sometimes
by Lucy Petersen
Sometimes I can’t find the words
That fill my messy head.
Can’t find the effort to smile
Or get out of my silly old bed.
The world just sometimes feels like
I don’t fit and don’t belong,
And even when I make the effort,
A smile just doesn’t last long.
I could pretend with all my might
That I am the happiest I can be.
Surrounded by the world, it seems
Lonelier I couldn’t be.
Not sure what may be the answer.
Not sure if I’m really keen
To spend another day here,
Living this dreadful dream.
But I must find some courage,
Light a fire inside my heart
And find a love for life again,
And I know where I shall start.
I’ll walk among the forest
And feel the crisp sea breeze
And lay among the meadow
And listen to all the bees.
I’ll figure out the mayhem
And gaze at all the stars
And dance at every sunset
With a smile inside my heart.
6. Inner Peace
by Joshua Fraser
The wind whistles past my ears.
Closing my eyes, I lose all my fears.
The waves crash into the rocks.
Out here there is no time on my clock.
The serenity I feel here just soothes my mind.
A peaceful day so hard to find.
The breeze just calms my soul.
Helps me think about what is my life’s goal.
I then look out over the ocean,
And it feels like my life has lost its commotion.
The sun sets down over the clouds.
But the orange glow around makes me proud.
As the night draws near.
I feel like where I need to be is here.
The soothing nature this afternoon brings
Just feels like such a beautiful thing.
I sit and wonder where life will go,
But right now, all I want is for time to slow.
To enjoy this moment and feel free,
To clear my mind and find some glee.
It’s days like these I truly treasure.
Amazing nights and beautiful weather.
It may not seem like much.
But it’s moments like these I want to clutch.
For once I feel like life is bliss.
So many hard days in which my happiness was missed.
I could get lost listening to the waves.
Listening to the birds and watching how the clouds behave.
I could close my eyes and fade into the night.
The tranquility I feel helps me win the fight.
As the waves keep crashing into the rocks,
I feel the happiness in my heart become unlocked.
The day is drawing to a close.
The peacefulness I feel right now I’ll only know.
Right now, my mind is finally clear.
It’s time to go as the night draws near.
7. The Strength in You
by Blake Auden
There is
a strength in you
you haven’t even
begun to find.
And that’s often
how life works.
You won’t know
how strong you are
until the world
forces you
to look.
8. I’m My Own Best Friend
by Zorian Alexis
I’m good enough;
I don’t care what you say.
I’m proud of what
I accomplished today.
Maybe I didn’t win
Or even place,
But I tried really hard
And finished the race.
I set a personal best,
Which makes me feel good.
I did much better
Than I thought I could.
Why do you criticize
And try to make me feel small?
Does it make you feel better?
When I stumble and fall?
Well, I’m here to tell you
That I won’t let your words hurt.
Because when I fall,
I’ll just pick myself up from the dirt.
And I’ll keep on fighting
Until the end,
With a cheerleader in my corner,
Because I’m my own best friend.
So, unless you have something
Positive to say,
I suggest you keep your mouth shut
And just go away.
Because my best friend and I
Are about to celebrate;
And we can do without you
Or your small-minded hate.
9. Short Life Summary
by Hgr
Life and death; without one there cannot be the other.
For some, it’s short, but they live it like no other.
For most, it’s long, and to be happy they don’t ever bother.
Life cannot be lived without the love of others.
The second we are born is the second we begin to die.
As a child, we live life and don’t worry why.
As we grow, it gets tougher and we don’t want to try.
Like everything else, it will end and we’ll have to say goodbye.
Whether it’s twenty years or one hundred-twenty,
Live it with a purpose to be greater than many.
Most likely life will be long;
So, live it with the future in mind
Because if you act in the moment life is never kind.
10. My Life
by Taylor Beckham
All of my life
I was living in a lie.
It seems that my childhood
has flown right by.
My daddy walked out,
and I had nowhere to cry.
I had to stay strong
so, my spirit wouldn’t die.
Now I’ve grown up too fast
trying to make this life last.
I push to move forward,
but I’m stuck in my past.
Tell me, what’s a girl to do?
Forget about it through and through?
That’s not something I can do.
What’s done is done,
Ain’t that the truth?
Final Thoughts on Poems about Life Lessons
Thank you for reading the poems about life lessons we provided with you. In your life, you will be confronted with the same problem over and over again until you discover the best approach to deal with it.
This is not due to bitter truth of life. It’s more because things tend to come back to bite us when we don’t confront them. Poems on life lessons teach us that one type of intelligence is the willingness to learn from mistakes.
When you are confronted with a difficult situation, consider how you might avoid it in the future. This is an instance of a learnt lesson. Every age is a turning point, and every adversity prepares us to forge our own pathways and live a great life.
As a result, read these poems about learning from mistakes and take away some essential lessons from them. Also try and share these poems about life lessons with others who need them.
