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Introduction
Do you find comfort in poetry? I certainly do! Reading beautiful poems, especially the ones about life, has a truly calming and magical effect on me. Short, beautiful poems have a unique way of capturing our everyday moments and turning them into something magical.
So, I’ve put together 20 of my favourite short poems about life. For me, each of these poems is like a tiny treasure house, reflecting the beauty and complexity of life itself.
1. “If—” by Rudyard Kipling
f 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!
Kipling’s poem always feels like guidance from a wise mentor. This beautiful poem is about staying true to yourself, being patient, honest, and brave, even when it is really hard.
It teaches us about the virtues we need to develop and to live a good and meaningful life. Being strong in times of trouble and staying humble in times of success. Read the rest of the poem here.
2. “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds and shall find me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.
Another one of those beautiful poems about life, isn't it? This poem makes me feel strong and unbreakable. When I read "Invictus," I feel like I am filled with unbreakable strength. Henley seems to say that life might throw some really tough challenges at me, but I have the inner power to face them.
So, no matter how dark it gets, I control my destiny. I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul. This poem is a powerful reminder to stay strong, to keep fighting, no matter what. Indeed, at the end of the day, it is all about taking charge of my life and not letting circumstances control me.
So, to me, this short poem about life is a constant reminder to stay strong and keep fighting.
3. "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson
“Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all - And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard - And sore must be the storm - That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm - I’ve heard it in the chillest land - And on the strangest Sea - Yet - never - in Extremity, It asked a crumb - of me.
This is one of those beautiful poems of Dickinson. It makes me see hope as a little bird inside my heart. It is always there, singing, no matter what. Even in hard times, when everything seems lost, this hope stays with me, never asking for anything in return.
It is a comforting thought, knowing that hope is always there to help me through. What a beautiful poem indeed! Don't you think?
4. "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,
Each time I read such beautiful poems; it makes me think deeply about the choices I made in life. The two roads symbolize different paths or decisions. Choosing one path means I can't go back and choose the other.
So, it reminds me that my choices have shaped my journey and my future. Sometimes, taking the less travelled road can lead to unique experiences and growth. In the end, it is all about making decisions that feel right and seeing where they lead.
If you like, you can also read the rest of this beautiful poem here.
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.
Thomas's words inspire me to fight against the end, to resist giving up. And also, to live life with passion and fire. To rage against the dying of the light means to live fiercely, to use every moment. It's a call to live boldly and with purpose, to never surrender, no matter how difficult life gets.
So, this beautiful short poem about life, is a powerful encouragement to welcome life fully. Feel free to read the full poem here.
6. "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou
You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ’Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise.
Angelou's poem fills me with a sense of unstoppable power. It's like she is saying, no matter what life throws at me, I can rise above it. I'm strong, resilient, and nothing can keep me down for long. This poem is a celebration of overcoming obstacles, of finding strength in adversity.
So, to me this short, beautiful poem about life serves as a reminder that I have the power to rise, again and again, no matter what. You will find the full poem here.
7. "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
This beautiful poem speaks to our hearts. It starts by saying it is okay to be imperfect, a relief from always trying to be perfect. The poem tells us to accept our true selves, just like the wild geese symbolize freedom and following their own path. It ends with a comforting message: we all belong in this vast world, no matter who we are.
So, this beautiful poem reminds us that we are enough just as we are! You can also read the full poem here.
8. "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Reading "The New Colossus," always makes me feel a deep sense of welcome and hope. This beautiful poem makes me think about the importance of being open and compassionate to others. Also, it serves as a powerful reminder of the values of freedom and opportunity, and how these ideals can light the way for people seeking a better life.
9. "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.
Such a beautiful poem, isn't it? Frost's poem reminds me that all beautiful things are temporary. Like a gorgeous sunrise that quickly fades, life's most beautiful moments don't last forever.
So, this beautiful poem teaches me to cherish every beautiful thing, every special moment, because they are fleeting. Indeed, a reminder of the transient nature of life and the importance of appreciating beauty while it lasts.
10. "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms, The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman Phenomenally.
"Phenomenal Woman" is a powerful boost to the self-esteem. Angelou talks about welcoming our uniqueness, our inner beauty. She reminds us that we don't need to fit any standard to feel beautiful or strong. We are phenomenal, just the way we are, with our own grace and strength. Now, isn't that powerful?
This beautiful poem is a celebration of self-confidence and the beauty of being true to oneself. The full poem can be found here.
11. "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal, these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
Shelley's "Ozymandias" makes us reflect on the brevity of power and pride. Even the mightiest rulers and their achievements fade away over time. So, this is one of those beautiful poems, which is a reminder that nothing lasts forever, not even great power or monuments.
It also serves as a reminder of the importance of modesty and the short-lived nature of human actions.
12. "The Tyger" by William Blake
Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry? In what distant deeps or skies. Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand, dare seize the fire? And what shoulder, & what art, Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat. What dread hand? & what dread feet?
"The Tyger" makes us think about the mysteries and wonders of creation. Whenever I read it, I feel like Blake is asking who could create such a fierce and beautiful creature as the tiger.
He seems to be in awe of this creature's power and beauty, but also a bit scared. The beautiful poem makes me wonder about the nature of the creator and the wildness of the world. Indeed, a mix of admiration and fear, a feeling that the world is both beautiful and terrifying.
You will find the rest of the poem here.
13. "A Dream Within a Dream" by Edgar Allan Poe
Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avow — You are not wrong, who deem That my days have been a dream; Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none, Is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream. I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand — How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep — while I weep! O God! Can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?
Poe seems to be questioning the reality of everything around him. He's saying life and love are fleeting, slipping through his fingers like sand.
It makes us feel the sadness of losing something precious and the confusion of what's real and what's not. Indeed, a deep lesson to learn that life is short and often it's hard to hold onto what we love.
14. "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
This is one of those beautiful poems that fills me with joy and peace. It shows us how nature's beauty can lift our spirits. When I picture the golden daffodils dancing in the breeze, it makes me feel happy and free. So, to me, this poem is a reminder to appreciate the simple, natural things in life, which can bring a lot of joy, even in times of loneliness.
15. "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice.
So, in "Fire and Ice," Frost makes us think about the different ways the world could end. Fire could mean passion and desire, while ice might symbolize hate. Indeed, either of the intense emotions can destroy.
This makes us ponder the powerful emotions we all feel and how they can have big impacts, sometimes even dangerous ones!
16. "Sonnet 18" by William Shakespeare
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date; Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Shakespeare's "Sonnet 18" makes us feel the power of love and beauty. Shakespeare is comparing someone he loves to a summer's day, but even better. For him, this person's beauty will last forever through his words.
A definite reminder of the timeless nature of love and the way it can be captured and remembered through poetry.
17. "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron
She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes; Thus mellowed to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impaired the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o’er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express, How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
Byron's beautiful poem makes us appreciate the beauty of perfect balance. He's not just talking about physical beauty, but something deeper. The person he describes has a kind of inner light, a balance of darkness and light.
The rest of the poem can be read here.
18. "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe
It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me. I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea, But we loved with a love that was more than love— I and my Annabel Lee— With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven Coveted her and me.
"Annabel Lee" is a heartbreaking poem about love and loss. Poe talks about losing his love, Annabel Lee, and how he can't get over her. It makes us feel the depth of his love and the pain of losing someone so dear.
You can read the full poem here.
19. "A Red, Red Rose" by Robert Burns
O my Luve is like a red, red rose That’s newly sprung in June; O my Luve is like the melody That’s sweetly played in tune. So fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry. Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun; I will love thee still, my dear, While the sands o’ life shall run. And fare thee weel, my only luve! And fare thee weel awhile! And I will come again, my luve, Though it were ten thousand mile.
Burns's beautiful poem is a sweet expression of deep love. He is trying to convey that his love is as fresh and lovely as a newly bloomed red rose.
This short poem makes us feel the beauty and intensity of young love. Reminding us of how love can be strong and enduring, like the sea. A beautiful thought, isn't it?
20. "One Perfect Rose" - By Dorothy Parker
A single flow’r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet—
One perfect rose.
I knew the language of the floweret;
“My fragile leaves,” it said, “his heart enclose.”
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.
Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it’s always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.This is a beautiful poem about love. In the poem, the speaker gets a perfect rose, which is a simple, yet a special gift. At first, the speaker wonders why they always get a rose and not something more exciting.
But soon, they see that the rose means true love. So, it's one of those beautiful poems that show how simple things can mean a lot. Parker's words make us think about the beauty in simple acts of love.
Conclusion
"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought, and the thought has found words."
Robert Frost
These short poems about life have shown us joy, love, loss, and more. Also, each verse is a masterpiece, offering a fresh perspective on this world.
In conclusion, whether you are new to poetry or a long-time fan, I hope this collection has inspired and moved you.
In order to help you explore poetry further, I would recommend that you get your hands on these books:
1. "The Poetry of Pablo Neruda" - A collection of beautiful poems by Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda.
2. "The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson" - Emily Dickinson, the famous poet and writer, who needs no introduction. Indeed, her work is often considered a cornerstone of American literature.
3. "The Essential Rumi" translated by Coleman Barks - This book has a collection of beautiful poems by Rumi, the famous 13th-century Persian poet. I think all of Rumi's poems have a common purpose - the search for truth.
Each of these books offer a unique perspective into the world of poetry. They are perfect for anyone looking to deepen their appreciation of life through beautiful poems.
Finally, don’t forget to share your thoughts and your favourite poems in the comments section below. Which one of these beautiful poems did you like the most?
We’d love to hear from you!
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