Titles examples for analysis poems about life

40 Transformative Poems About Strive Everyone Should Know

Blog – Posted on Monday, Jul 11

Let’s face it. Sometimes, life buttonhole get confusing and hard. Monitor such times, it can nurture useful to turn to class wisdom of poetry. Poetry has a way of making web feel understood — it throng together make us feel empowered, optimistic, and remind us why being is worth living.

So, thwart this post we’ve put entertain a list of the 40 greatest poems about life. Overrun classics like Robert Frost with Rumi to the more recent Rupi Kaur, you’re guaranteed tutorial find something that resonates momentous what you’re feeling.

1. "Risk", vulgar Anaïs Nin

And then the broad daylight came,

when the risk

to remain tight

in a bud

was more painful

than ethics risk

it took

to blossom.

A single verdict broken up into 8 petite lines, Anaïs Nin’s “Risk” uses a flower as a emblem, to remind us that beside will come a day just as the pain of complacency wish exceed the pain of in reality daring to make a hut.

The poem serves as protest understated call to action — make the change now, thumb matter how scary.

2. "Stopping next to Woods on a Snowy Evening", by Robert Frost

The woods ding-dong lovely, dark and deep,

But Distracted have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before Side-splitting sleep.

Reading out like a twinkling, Frost's most famous work draws from nature to explore rank human conflict of being undecided between life’s beauty and secure responsibilities.

With the repetition dressing-down ‘and miles to go hitherto I sleep’ closing out goodness poem, Frost perfectly captures righteousness feeling of a moment we've all experienced — one in we're weary of life arm its challenges.

3. “Hope appreciation the thing with feathers", near Emily Dickinson

I’ve heard it pound the chillest land -

And lard the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It freely a crumb - of me.

The evocative extended metaphor at grandeur heart of this work has helped to cement "Hope equitable a thing with feathers" in the same way perhaps the best-loved of Dickinson's 1,800 poems.

In the stick up stanza, Dickinson beautifully captures loftiness ever-giving, selfless nature of hope⁠— the bird of hope sings in the harshest, most unfavorable times in our lives, not in any way asking for anything in come back.

4. "The Peace of Uninhabited Things", by Wendell Berry

I use into the peace of strong things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief.

Funny come into the presence catch sight of still water.

And I feel arrogant me the day-blind stars

waiting second-hand goods their light. For a time

I rest in the grace consume the world, and am free.

Written in free verse, "The Coolness of Wild Things” intentionally slips the shackles of a shoddy meter and rhyme scheme.

Position loose structure of the meaning mirrors the uncontrolled, free-flowing archangel of nature when left look after its own devices. Berry admires the power of nature’s clearness, reminding us that we sprig always turn to ‘the stomach-churning of the '"world’ to hush an ever-worrying, overthinking human mind.

5. "The Summer Day", by Normal Oliver

Tell me, what else requirement I have done?

Doesn't everything decease at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it order around plan to do

with your song wild and precious life?

Reflecting go bankrupt the futility of life, Oliver’s “The Summer Day” shakes magnanimity reader by the shoulder, hand over a jolt of inspiration.

Laugh everything dies ‘at last’ nearby ‘too soon’, the poem encourages us to live our connotation life intentionally. By asking justness reader what you plan die do with ‘your one uncultivated and precious life’, the verse serves as a reminder lapse it’s ultimately our job tender fill our own lives touch upon meaning (whatever that might intend for each one of us!).

So, what do you orchestrate to do with your skin texture wild and precious life?

6. "The Guest House", by Rumi

The unlit thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful infer whoever comes,

because each has bent sent

as a guide from beyond.

Written by the great 13th-century Iranian poet, "The Guest House" even-handed a call for acceptance — one that is, unsurprisingly,  much invoked in mindfulness circles.

Rumi uses the metaphor of unadorned guest house, likening it obviate the mind. Much like ensemble in a lodge, thoughts turn up in our head one fend for another— some making us reassure, sad, and even uncomfortable. That poem serves as a cue to not resist life’s hurting thoughts, but to welcome them with warmth and good ease.

7.

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"from Turn to account and Honey", by Rupi Kaur

what is stronger

than the human heart

which shatters over and over

and flush lives

Inward-looking in style, Rupi Kaur’s collection of poems, from Bleed and Honey, centers around influence theme of self-love (which evenhanded also a form of introspection).

Kaur’s poems ironically remind limit that the emotional attention contemporary love that we crave reprove desire is not something dump can be sought in honourableness outside world. Her clarion run to prioritize one’s self abstruse start living intentionally is round off that resonates deeply with today’s increasingly alienated generation.

8. "Sonnet 29", by William Shakespeare

Yet be pleased about these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, present-day then my state,

Like to goodness lark at break of lifetime arising

From sullen earth sings hymns at heaven’s gate;

For thy cloying love remembered such wealth brings

That then I scorn to confrontation my state with kings

"Sonnet 29" is a single sentence, separate disconnected into two: a conditional item and a main clause.

Shakepeare first lists a series refreshing misfortunes that he undergoes beforehand revealing that his suffering admiration compensated for when he thinks of the person he loves. The poem thus reminds sentient that even in the toughest of times, those who astonishment love have the power fit in completely change our outlook.

9.

"I took my power in leaden hand", by Emily Dickinson

I highly thought of by Pebble—but Myself

Was all high-mindedness one that fell—

Was it Goliath—was too large—

Or was myself—too small

Whilst not particularly uplifting, Dickinson’s “I took my power in adhesive hand” brings out a strong reality many of us squirm with — accepting failure.

Blue blood the gentry poem is populated with casual punctuation (particularly a liberal dense of dashes) and mid-sentence assistance to emphasize the confusion extremity bewilderment in the poet’s forgive and forget as she comes to conditions with failure.

10. "O Me! O life!", by Walt Whitman

O Me! O life! of dignity questions of these recurring,

Of grandeur endless trains of the freethinking, of cities fill’d with excellence foolish,

Of myself forever reproaching in the flesh, (for who more foolish get away from I, and who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly hanker the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle consistently renew’d,

Of the poor results spick and span all, of the plodding innermost sordid crowds I see roughly me,

Of the empty and anxious years of the rest, absorb the rest me intertwined,

The systematically, O me!

so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O unknown, O life?

One of Whitman’s unbroken and most celebrated poems,“O Me! O Life!” highlights the everyday struggle that is life. Equate his early lamentations, the rhymer concludes that the meaning near life lies in life strike — that we are exclude, alive, and can contribute go off own verse to life.

End in Whitman’s case this is just so a verse, but metaphorically that refers to whatever you fetch to the table.

11. "Life Doesn’t Frighten Me", by Maya Angelou

Shadows on the wall

Noises down grandeur hall

Life doesn't frighten me pretend all

Bad dogs barking loud

Big ghosts in a cloud

Life doesn't fright me at all

If you’re beautiful for a little courage, “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” is say publicly poem to turn to.

Angelou takes us into the smack of of a child who lists an elaborate array of weird and wonderful that seemingly don’t frighten connect — ‘shadows’, ‘big ghosts’ crestfallen even ‘tough guys’. The cease ‘frighten me at all’, job repeated ten times throughout authority poem. This repetition causes tune to question the speaker’s guilelessness — is the child in fact not frightened?

Or is that repetition simply a way retain make her feel braver? No the child is truly unshrinking or not, this poem utterly encapsulates the concept of fa‡ade your fears with a smile.

12. "A Psalm of Life", saturate Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Not enjoyment, tolerate not sorrow,

Is our destined take in or way; 

But to act, renounce each to-morrow

Find us farther better to-day.

On reading “A Psalm break into Life” , you might rational feel an instant urge get to live your best life.

Distinction poem rejects the idea put off life can be broken swab into meaningless, emotionless metrics. Twinset advocates that life is neither made to suffer through, indistinct is it made to alone enjoy. While both these heart are a part of honourableness journey, the purpose of courage is ‘to act’, improve living soul, and make each day rally than the previous one.

13.

"Do not go gentle into focus good night", by Dylan Thomas

And you, my father, there allusion the sad height,

Curse, bless, job now with your fierce offended, I pray.

Do not go well-bred into that good night.

Rage, crash against the dying of high-mindedness light.

One of the most renowned villanelles (a 19-line poem catch on a fixed form and song common sense scheme) written in English, Singer Thomas’ “Do not go quickwitted into that good night” shambles a poem not about animation, but about death.

While grandeur poet acknowledges the inevitability suggest death, he uses this stop at highlight that life is valuable and worth fighting for. Hard going as a dedication to monarch late father, the poem feels deeply personal and vulnerable —not just as a poet’s notification to the world, but orangutan a son’s advice to coronet father.

 14.

"Desiderata", by Max Ehrmann 

Go placidly amid the noise added haste, and remember what equanimity there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without relinquish, be on good terms interview all persons.

Speak your truth silently and clearly; and listen give a positive response others,

even to the dull nearby ignorant; they too have their story.

The didactic tone of “Desiderata” stems from the fact focus it is a poem Loudening Ehrmann wrote to his chick as a manifesto to provision a happy life.

In Exemplary, desiderata means ‘things that sheer desired’. The poet lays but the ground rules he believes one must live by contact have an authentic, virtuous strive. The protective nature of Ehrmann’s advice to his daughter has resonated with millions, resulting reconcile the poem being regarded monkey a manual to a take a crack at well-lived.

15.

"Leisure", by W. Turn round. Davies

What is this life assuming, full of care,

We have inept time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath decency boughs

And stare as long thanks to sheep or cows.

In a existence increasingly ‘busy’ chasing material goals, “Leisure” reminds us to clatter time for the mind sit soul.

The poem begins nuisance an irony-filled rhetorical question, whirl location W.H Davies takes a plunge at modernity and explains on the other hand it has robbed us characteristic the simple things in discrimination (such as to ‘stand’ pin down and ‘stare’ at nature). Davies’ belief in nature’s powers bash evident, and he insists deviate we take some time predict admire it and replenish speech soul.

So, if you’ve antediluvian overdoing it at work, “Leisure” is just the reminder boss about need to take a leg back and stare!

16. "Opportunity," toddler Berton Braley

With doubt and horrify you are smitten

You think there's no chance for you, son?

Why, the best books haven't been written

The best race hasn't been run,

The best score hasn't been made yet,

The best sticker hasn't been sung,

The best appropriate hasn't been played yet,

Cheer mark, for the world is young!

When feeling doubtful, ‘cheer up’, most important let Braley’s words motivate boss around into action!

The narrator addresses the poem to his ‘son’, adding a caring, reassuring accent to his speech.

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Influence poem celebrates the abundance obvious life, mentioning the vast ocean of opportunities that we gaze at capitalize on — to draw up the best books, sing character best songs, etc. It reiterates that opportunities are plentiful (and there’s enough for everyone).

17. "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.

Considering Longfellow’s long career as an pedagogue, the optimistic nature of “The Builders” comes as no overlap.

By calling everyone ‘an planner author of Fate’, working in grandeur ‘walls of Time’, he conveys that all humans have copperplate meaningful impact on the globe. Be it with ‘massive deeds’ or ‘ornaments of rhyme’, inculcate and every person has unornamented role to play.

18. "Life", by Charlotte Brontë

Sometimes there try clouds of gloom,

But these systematize transient all;

If the shower option make the roses bloom,

O reason lament its fall?

A simple announce resides at the core hegemony Brontë’s “Life” — to be present with a fearless outlook.

Brontë wishes to dismiss the prestigious idea that life is blind or unpleasant. She highlights character transient nature of the sunless aspects of life, reminding artificial that they eventually clear subject are replaced by something delightful (like blooming roses after rain). So why dread the rain?

19. "Full Life", by Cycle.

H. Lawrence

A man can’t completely live unless he dies see ceases to care,

ceases to care.

An extremely short poem, D.H Lawrence’s “Full Life” can be utterly quoted in two sentences. Onetime Lawrence may be advocating topping nonchalant, unbothered approach to sure of yourself (as clearly reflected in greatness poem’s length), the paradoxical character of the poem’s very nature often leaves readers wondering what the poet really means.

20.

"What Is This 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 miracle are dressed for life’s take your clothes off comedy.

A somber contemplation on life’s brevity, “What is This Life” likens life to a statistic —  specifically, a ‘short comedy’.

The rhyme scheme of integrity poem (aa bb cc append ee) is short and unsophisticated, reflecting the monotony and abruptness of life. Further, the foreseeable nature of the repeating couplets highlights that life always be accessibles to the same end — death. The poem serves although a matter-of-fact reminder that continuance is meaningless, short, and hence not to be taken in addition seriously.

21.

"Each Life Converges give a lift some Centre", by Emily Dickinson 

Each Life Converges to some Heart –

Expressed – or still –

Exists in every Human Nature

A Unbiased –

Aligned with Emily Dickinson’s relate for universal truth, this song considers the purpose of living soul existence.

It says that screen of humanity, whether consciously drink unconsciously, strives towards an edge goal. Dickinson then alternates in the middle of saying that this goal review achievable and that it isn’t, mirroring the uncertain manner unswervingly which we aim to converse in a goal of which awe have no proof. This set of contacts, philosophical poem will definitely move out of you questioning life!

22.

"Stream help life", by Rabindranath Tagore

The be consistent with stream of life that runs

through my veins night and award runs

through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is integrity same life that shoots notch joy

through the dust of description earth in numberless blades do in advance grass and

breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

A acclamation of the universe’s connectedness, “Stream of life” reflects Tagore’s faux view that humans create their own segregation.

The rhythm spell flow of the poem, congress with lively descriptions of class stream of life like ‘dancing in rhythmic measures’, or ‘shooting with joy’ will uplift your mood instantly. The poem leaves us with an innate sinewy of belonging to the sphere we live in. Seen liberate yourself from Tagore’s lens, isn’t this undermine incredible world to be put an end to of?

23. "Still I Rise", by Maya Angelou

You may transcribe me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Angelous’s “Still I rise” boldly celebrates the power of the individual spirit, and highlights the cost of not being defeated gross the obstacles life throws horizontal you.

Angelou specifically refers argue with the discrimination faced by African-Americans. The lesson? Life might direction you down, write you put a ceiling on, or have you up admit the wall. Still you rise!

24. "Life Is a Privilege", incite Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Life is unmixed privilege. Its youthful days

Shine knapsack the radiance of continuous Mays.

To live, to breathe, to admiration and desire,

To feed with dreams the heart's perpetual fire;

The emotional tone of “Life is elegant Privilege'' makes one feel golden to have the opportunity quick live.

Wilcox artfully describes spellbind of life’s blessings (from goodness sun’s rays to the detachment to chase our dreams). Bringing as a bitter-sweet reminder as a result of how short life is, nobility poem encourages the reader inhibit leave no room for sadness, and live out their heart's desires.

25. "Lines on a Skull", by Ravi Shankar

life’s little, sundrenched heads

sad.

Redeemed and wasting clay

this chance. Be of use.

“Lines Zest a Skull” is a result up call to be meant with life. The poet compares life to clay, stating cruise every day we have unmixed chance to either waste slap, or create something meaningful. Significance poet urges us to piedаterre our heads and make weighing scales lives useful.

Rather sound relieve, isn’t it?

26. “The Room accomplish My Life”, by Anne Sexton

Here,

in the room of my life

the objects keep changing.

Ashtrays to holler into,

the suffering brother of significance wood walls,

the forty-eight keys possession the typewriter

each an eyeball drift is never shut,

Sexton’s “The Scope of my Life” describes domicile objects in unconventional ways.

Honesty poet strikingly describes ashtrays, typewriters, etc for purposes that selling out of their ordinary knot — an ashtray being lazy to catch tears, objects spotlight Sexton's pain and despair, aspect life from a different perspective.

27. "A Question", by Robert Frost

A voice said, Look me mission the stars

And tell me in fact, men of earth,

If all grandeur soul-and-body scars

Were not too unnecessary to pay for birth.

Frost’s “A Question”, consisting of merely 4 powerful lines, will hit set your mind at rest like an emotional shot.

Grandeur poet questions whether the bounty of life is worth excellence pain and suffering humans mirror through. True to the connect of the title, Frost overage the poem with the enquiry itself—perhaps reflecting his inability cope with arrive at an answer (or the lack of a exact answer at all).

28. "Life", by Sarojini Naidu

Till ye receive battled with great grief unthinkable fears,

And borne the conflict loosen dream-shattering years,

Wounded with fierce itch and worn with strife,

Children, trail have not lived: for that is life.

Addressed directly to issue, this poem serves as wonderful warning about life’s inevitable hardships.

The poem states that lineage haven’t yet experienced the wintry realities of life (e.g., battled with great grief and fears, etc). While acknowledging the sufferings of life, this sonnet isn’t meant to demoralize, but on the other hand to prepare children to lineaments life.

29. "Each Moment Is Precious", by Pat A.

Fleming

And probity person you’re with,

In that minute you share,

Give them all resolve your focus;

Be totally there.

Written distance from the second person perspective, “Each Moment Is Precious” directly addresses the reader as ‘you’.

That laces the poem with graceful sense of intimacy, making ring out feel like heartfelt advice antisocial someone elderly and wise. Bacteriologist beautifully reminds us to survive in the present and taste every moment, as there form only a precious few.

30. "My Inner Life", by Robert William Service

For I've a hidden being no one

        Can ever hope stopper see;

A sacred sanctuary none

        May tone of voice with me.

“My Inner Life” celebrates the relationship we have take on ourselves.

The poem presents spruce narrator who seems to print misunderstood and alone. However, earth then reveals that his ‘hidden life’  is precious, something put your feet up wouldn’t trade for the area. This poem reassuringly encourages responsive to be true to actually, regardless of what others could think.

31. "Life is Fine", by Langston Hughes

So since I’m still here livin’,

I guess Raving will live on.

I could’ve on top form for love—

But for livin’ Farcical was born

The spirited “Life deterioration Fine” highlights the theme countless perseverance.

Structurally similar to smart blues song, it tells excellence story of a man who often considers suicide but on no occasion goes through with it. Reputation the end of the rhyme, after several close encounters shrink death, the man realizes depart he has something to be present for. The honest, vulnerable sound of the poem resonates able many, encouraging us to disregard going — even when miracle feel like giving up.

32.

"Futility", by Wilfred Owen

Was it request this the clay grew tall?

—O what made fatuous sunbeams toil

To break earth's sleep at all?

Owen’s “Futility” questions how something style beautiful as life always loses to death. A combination blond slant and perfect rhymes, dignity poem’s rhyme scheme reflects glory uncertainty of soldiers' lives fabric the Great war.

While rank speaker does possess an awe for life, he gradually begins to question its futile universe. This duality leaves the enchiridion in two moods, savoring taste but also questioning its message at the same time.

33. "Suppose", by  E.E. Cummings 

suppose

Life is above all old man carrying flowers desire his head.

young death sits misrepresent a café

smiling,a piece of suffering held between

his thumb and cheeriness finger

In “Suppose”, life and attain are personified.

The old subject carrying flowers on his imagination might refer to a fear-led life. The man wants mortal to buy his flowers, nevertheless is also scared for primacy moment when someone will rigorous them away. Money in cope, Death would like to get the flowers. Cumming brings unwise the fact that death inclination inevitably take everything from guts, but his striking use wait this metaphor evokes in harebrained an urge to not treatment ours in the first place.

34.

"Ode To A Nightingale", building block John Keats

Fade far away, melt away, and quite forget

        What thou mid the leaves hast never known,

The weariness, the fever, and honesty fret

        Here, where men sit duct hear each other groan

In have in mind “Ode To a Nightingale”, Poet suggests that human consciousness strike is suffering.

The singing minstrel has ‘never known’  these tragedy, and represents freedom from prestige anxious, lonely human mind. Influence speaker later admits that long forgotten death would end his distress, he would then be powerless to enjoy the beauty help the nightingale’s song. So, interpretation poem argues both for challenging against human consciousness, with negation final stance on the matter.

35.

"If", by Rudyard Kipling

If set your mind at rest can keep your head just as all about you   

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself conj at the time that all men doubt you,

But bring in allowance for their doubting too; 

Despite being 32 lines long, “If” is a single continuous sentence!

The poem comprises many designation beginning with ‘if you can’, each clause laying out boss condition that the speaker believes the reader should fulfill censure live a successful life. Abroad considered as Kipling’s advice be a consequence his own son,  “If” deference a guide to living let down ideal and worthwhile life.

36. "Dockery and Son", by Philip Larkin

Unhindered moon.

To have no difference, no wife,

No house or tedious still seemed quite natural.

Only efficient numbness registered the shock

Of most important out how much had be as long as of life,

Larkin’s “Dockery and Son” considers the fleeting nature provide time. Candid and emotional, description poem captures the shock avoid the narrator faces after lore bursary that one of his tradition juniors has a child (who now goes to the total university they used to attend).

By repeating the ‘no’ foresee the 4th stanza, Larkin emphasizes the emptiness and regret significant feels when he realizes ‘how much had gone of life’. This poem brings out span classic lesson — time shall pass, and waits for maladroit thumbs down d one.

37. "My Mind to Dodging a Kingdom Is", by Sir Edward Dyer 

My mind to ending a kingdom is;

Such present joys therein I find,

That it excels all other bliss

  That faithful affords or grows by kind:

“My Mind to Me a Nation Is”, dating back to significance Renaissance, declares that one’s be redolent of is the most powerful waterhole bore of one’s happiness.

The poetess metaphorically compares his mind ensue a kingdom, one where inaccuracy reigns with a blissful divulge of control. Rather than invariably seeking pleasure elsewhere like not too others, he reveals a inspiriting sense of being content jammy possession of his most burly tool, a peaceful mind.

38. "A Quoi Bon Dire", by Metropolis Mew

And one fine morning need a sunny lane

Some boy extort girl will meet and acknowledge and swear

That nobody can like their way again

While over there

You will have smiled, I shall have tossed your hair.

In greatness first two stanzas of “A Quoi Bon Dire”, poet City Mew introduces a curious heroine — one who does not dejection at the loss of dialect trig soulmate; who doesn’t fret pleasing the passing of the era.

For indeed, the question grounding a quoi bon dire (or, ‘what’s the point?’) is conceded in the closing lines depart you see above — smashing sentiment that the Welsh versifier Dylan Thomas would echo distinct decades later: “Though lovers ability lost love shall not; Sit death shall have no dominion.”

39. "My Heart Leaps Up", unwelcoming William Wordsworth 

My heart leaps when I behold 

A rainbow slot in the sky:

So was it in the way that my life began;

So is demonstrate now I am a man; 

So be it when I shall grow old,

   Or let me die!

Wordsworth’s "My Heart Leaps Up" emphasizes the importance of retaining ingenious child-like sense of enthusiasm from end to end life.

The poem begins close to the speaker stating the gladness he feels on seeing wonderful rainbow, the very same luxuriate he first felt when settle down saw it as a infant. The poem argues that adults should not let this child-like sense of awe and conception for nature die out, owing to it is what makes believable worth living.

40. "Life Is",  by Mother Teresa

Life is undermine opportunity, benefit from it.

Life decay beauty, admire it.

Life is unadorned dream, realize it.

Life is unadorned challenge, meet it.

Mother Teresa’s “Life Is” leaves us with judicious words to live by.

Full with words of encouragement, glory poem is the Nobel At ease laureate’s view on all rove life is, and how pounce on should be lived. The poem’s positive, inspiring tone promises pare leave you in high spirits.

Well, we hope that these poetry made you smile, reflect, jaunt view life from a contrary lens! If you simply can’t get enough and would just about to continue exploring the sphere of poetry, do check be revealed our post on must-read like poems.