Last Updated on July 5, 2020 by Jella Erhard
Comforting Poems About Mindfulness & Happiness
Read some of the most beautiful comforting poems about mindfulness and happiness that will help you process and deal with difficult situations easier in life.
Poetry is one of the easiest, cheapest, and fastest ways to start practicing mindfulness. Many poems, even some of the most famous ones are in the public domain just waiting for you to read them for completely free.
They’re short but meaningful and can make profound impacts on readers’ lives even if a poem is only a few lines long.
You can find various genres of poetry making sure that you find one that reflects your feelings and mind the most.
Here you’ll find some of the most calming, empowering, and comforting poems that will help you get through the toughest of times.
Comforting Poems About Mindfulness & Happiness
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9| Tulips by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath’s remarkable works helped so many people find their true selves, grow up and find a lever to their feelings. Despite the tragic end of her life, we should remember her as the great poet she was.
‘Tulips’ is a vivid poem that will make you think about the importance of loving and appreciating alone time.
The remarkable poet was in the hospital at the time following an appendectomy and thanks to the medications she is numbed enough to leave her baggage behind and simply enjoy the quiet and calming whiteness of her hospital room.
It is most certainly a great piece if you’re looking to find peace and enjoyment in solitary and the most simple moments of life.
It was published in the collection titled Ariel, in which you can find plenty of comforting poems about mindfulness and happiness.
Tulips by Sylvia Plath
The tulips are too excitable, it is winter here.
Look how white everything is, how quiet, how snowed-in.
I am learning peacefulness, lying by myself quietly
As the light lies on these white walls, this bed, these hands.
I am nobody; I have nothing to do with explosions.
I have given my name and my day-clothes up to the nurses
And my history to the anesthetist and my body to surgeons.
They have propped my head between the pillow and the sheet-cuff
Like an eye between two white lids that will not shut.
Stupid pupil, it has to take everything in.
The nurses pass and pass, they are no trouble,
They pass the way gulls pass inland in their white caps,
Doing things with their hands, one just the same as another,
So it is impossible to tell how many there are.
My body is a pebble to them, they tend it as water
Tends to the pebbles it must run over, smoothing them gently.
They bring me numbness in their bright needles, they bring me sleep.
Now I have lost myself I am sick of baggage——
My patent leather overnight case like a black pillbox,
My husband and child smiling out of the family photo;
Their smiles catch onto my skin, little smiling hooks.
I have let things slip, a thirty-year-old cargo boat
stubbornly hanging on to my name and address.
They have swabbed me clear of my loving associations.
Scared and bare on the green plastic-pillowed trolley
I watched my teaset, my bureaus of linen, my books
Sink out of sight, and the water went over my head.
I am a nun now, I have never been so pure.
I didn’t want any flowers, I only wanted
To lie with my hands turned up and be utterly empty.
How free it is, you have no idea how free——
The peacefulness is so big it dazes you,
And it asks nothing, a name tag, a few trinkets.
It is what the dead close on, finally; I imagine them
Shutting their mouths on it, like a Communion tablet.
The tulips are too red in the first place, they hurt me.
Even through the gift paper I could hear them breathe
Lightly, through their white swaddlings, like an awful baby.
Their redness talks to my wound, it corresponds.
They are subtle : they seem to float, though they weigh me down,
Upsetting me with their sudden tongues and their color,
A dozen red lead sinkers round my neck.
Nobody watched me before, now I am watched.
The tulips turn to me, and the window behind me
Where once a day the light slowly widens and slowly thins,
And I see myself, flat, ridiculous, a cut-paper shadow
Between the eye of the sun and the eyes of the tulips,
And I have no face, I have wanted to efface myself.
The vivid tulips eat my oxygen.
Before they came the air was calm enough,
Coming and going, breath by breath, without any fuss.
Then the tulips filled it up like a loud noise.
Now the air snags and eddies round them the way a river
Snags and eddies round a sunken rust-red engine.
They concentrate my attention, that was happy
Playing and resting without committing itself.
The walls, also, seem to be warming themselves.
The tulips should be behind bars like dangerous animals;
They are opening like the mouth of some great African cat,
And I am aware of my heart: it opens and closes
Its bowl of red blooms out of sheer love of me.
The water I taste is warm and salt, like the sea,
And comes from a country far away as health.
8| Sometimes by Sheenagh Pugh
British poet Sheenagh Pugh has strong faith in people and high hopes for humanity. Let’s hope she is right and the world is becoming a better place soon.
Sometimes is a lovely poem that will bring a little hope for everyone; sometimes things work out well, why wouldn’t you be on the sunny side today?
It is a fantastic piece for you in case you are in need of encouraging poems to cheer you up. Humans have the ability to think the worst, expect the worst and forget about the good things.
Pugh is trying to highlight that there is always a good scenario, there is always the chance of something working out well for you.
So don’t give up, be hopeful and positive so you do not miss the best parts of life.
Utopistic? Certainly. But we surely need more of that and if we all treat each other with more kindness and compassion -especially during hard times- sometimes may eventually become every time.
Sometimes by Sheenagh Pugh
Sometimes things don’t go, after all,
from bad to worse. Some years, muscadel
faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don’t fail,
sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.
A people sometimes will step back from war;
elect an honest man, decide they care
enough, that they can’t leave some stranger poor.
Some men become what they were born for.
Sometimes our best efforts do not go
amiss, sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you.
7| Peace, My Heart by Rabindranath Tagore
Tagore was a remarkable person, who wrote his first poem at the age of eight and by sixteen, he published a whole collection. He was highly regarded for his knowledge and art as well, being one of the most influential Indian artist (poet, musician, and painter).
Peace, My Heart is a comforting poem about death offering help to cope with such a hard time much easier. It is a difficult topic, but in this short poem, he manages to make the last moment with a loved one a positive one.
There is so much to say and remember, but when the time comes there is no easy way to say goodbye. Let nice memories dominate and no matter how you what are your beliefs about death, think of someone’s passing as the completion of a beautiful life.
This touching poem is part of ‘The Garder’ cycle, where you can find plenty of comforting poems about death.
Peace, My Heart by Rabindranath Tagore
Peace, my heart, let the time for
the parting be sweet.
Let it not be a death but completeness.
Let love melt into memory and pain
into songs.
Let the flight through the sky end
in the folding of the wings over the
nest.
Let the last touch of your hands be
gentle like the flower of the night.
Stand still, 0 Beautiful End, for a
moment, and say your last words in
silence.
I bow to you and hold up my lamp
to light you on your way.
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6| Invictus by William Ernest Henley
In search of comforting and inspiring poems we felt lucky to have come across English author William Ernest Henley’s Invictus.
It is a very important writing for all those who had been feeling held back from reaching their fullest potential. Take charge in your life and remain strong as your soul is unconquerable.
No one is able to keep you from who you want to be and what you want to achieve.
It is most certainly one of the best poems for inspiration that empowers you to take charge in your life.
Never give up on your dreams even if it comes at a price or have to fight hard for it. You can definitely achieve everything, just be sure to follow your heart and don’t let others hold on to the steering wheel.
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.
5| Solitude By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Solitude is pointing out a very important fact in life; when everything goes well you are a popular person but when things go south, not many will stick around.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox had a great understanding of people and unfortunately, it is still actual despite almost 150 years passing since it was written.
Naturally, it doesn’t suggest there are no good friends who are on your side no matter what, Wilcox is referring to the majority of people.
When all is well, things are running smoothly, you can even call yourself successful, people will be seeking your presence. When things don’t work out that well however, you can prepare for some quiet in the once crowded halls of your life.
Has to mention that Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an exceptional poet, who had a remarkable view of the world especially considering the times she was living in.
Solitude By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone;
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.
Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go;
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all,—
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life’s gall.
Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a large and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.
4| The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
The Peace of Wild Things is one of the most inspiring poems about mindfulness and happiness. There are so many things to go wrong in life but how are you going to cheer up or get over all that trouble? You have to find a way to relax, enjoy the remaining beauty of life and find consolation in something.
Contemporary novelist and poet Wendell Berry feels very strongly about nature and he actively stands up to protect it. For a very good reason; in these running days, surrounded by technology and so many artificial structures, there is nothing more important than reconnecting with nature.
This fantastic poem is going to help you to be more mindful when it comes to sorrows and troubles prompting its readers to find a way back to nature.
The Peace of Wild Things Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
3| If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking By Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson has so many great poems that would definitely make a great addition to the list so it wasn’t easy to make one pick. If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking made the cut because it is certainly a strong statement on what approach should everyone take in the busy everyday.
Dickinson’s short poem is expressing how important it is to stop dwelling about the past and lead a life focusing on today. There is another take away that prompts people to be more emphatic, supportive and careful towards others.
We think If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking By Emily Dickinson would be a great addition to your journal to support your journey towards a more mindful life.
If I can stop one heart from breaking by Emily Dickinson
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
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2| Eagle Poem Joy Harjo
Joy Harjo is a very important figure in the second wave of the Native American Renaissance. Her works reflect a lot on her Mvskoke heritage, one of the most important is respect toward nature and fellow human beings.
Her fantastic Eagle Poem is discussing these values mostly, while also helping readers accept the inevitable circulation of life and death.
We think it is one of the most important comforting poems about mindfulness and happiness because it is crucial to be able to accept what is inevitable and treat what surrounds us with kindness.
You can only be happy if you let your self sour like an eagle to free your thoughts up.
In this running life there is nothing more important than to find a way to connect with nature and be able to respect and take good care of yourself.
Eagle Poem BY Joy Harjo
To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear;
Can’t know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren’t always sound but other
Circles of motion.
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.
1| Still I Rise By Maya Angelou
Remarkable poet, civil rights activist and singer Maya Angelou lived quite a life. She was never too shy to stand up and voice her opinion while also living for her passion; arts in various forms.
Still I Rise is a wonderful poem that will empower every reader for sure. It is sort of sad to see how actual this 1978 piece in the 21st century.
It is not only about the horrific times African-American people had to go through in history, but it’s about discrimination itself and that no matter what happens you have to believe in and respect yourself.
We find Angelou’s one of the best comforting poems about mindfulness and happiness because it is empowering and can help you build up your mental strength.
Building up one’s self-worth is one of the hardest things we face in life and Maya Angelou’s poems will lead you in the right direction while also healing your soul.
We will always get back on our feet as long as we have self-confidence.
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.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
Thank you for reading!
