34 Poems of Life Lessons To Turn Challenges into Success

The purpose of life is to discover new challenges and find a way to deal with them. You can learn the lessons from things around you. But life teachings are often best explained through the art of poetry. These life lesson verses are like the windows of wisdom.

In this post, you will get a life poem explanation in the form of lessons learned in life. If we are wise, we can learn from our mistakes. But we can also learn from others’ mistakes and life experiences. 

Allow these poems about life lessons to remind you that life is short; learn from the past and move forward. After reading these stanzas, you’ll be able to educate yourself on what lessons poems can teach us about life.

So, here are some famous poems with life lessons that make your journey beautiful.

Poems That Teach Life Lessons

You will get lessons in life poems that will lift your mood, start loving yourself, and try to help others with passions.

1.	Start choosing Yourself.
Your priorities. It would be best if you had it
—your Boundaries.
Seize your life, and live it fully.

Explanation: This poem narrates a short lesson:

• Always prioritize your necessities first.
• Protect yourself from the things that harm you.
• Live your life freely and joyfully.

2.	Let your heart drown for a while,
           Grasp until someone rescues it
           Who knows how to swim
            In your ocean
           
              Let your eyes rain for a while
             Until it finds someone
            Who isn’t afraid to admire
            The rainbows that came after

Lesson: The poem encourages us to feel emotions deeply till someone supports us with our emotional expressions, and we believe that the right person will understand positive progress.

3.	I hope you spend more time chasing.
          
            The wind in your hair,
            The sun on your skin,
            The moon in your veins,
            The laughter in your belly,
            The lips of your lover, 
            On the next page of your book, 
            The last drop of coffee in your cup, 
            The sweetest, most simple of things,

Then you spend chasing validation 
from strangers through a screen

This poem discusses finding the natural smile instead of wasting time searching for online approval. The poet also expresses the beauty in everyday happenings, such as feeling the wind, sun, moon, and smiles. 

4.  I’m not interested in love.
        

  In survival mode anymore.
Living my life as if I’m in combat,
Fighting a war, feeling as if my back is 
Always against the wall, never getting to
Sit down and breathe, never having space
To enjoy being loved, cared and nurtured
Because my guard is up all the time.
Constantly living in fear, is draining me.
No more looking over my shoulders,
Never feeling free.
I want comfort. I want peace and 
I want to love freely, and I feel again.

Survival Mode ( page 103 ) Martineashley Poem Book

Short Description: The poet wishes to escape from a life of fighting for survival. After being tired from constant war, he lays down weapons and Adopts the courage to live without fear. Because now he only wants peace, love, and freedom to enjoy life freely.

5. Overall, I’m Okay

With cold butter on bread
And putting on a sweater
That hasn’t been washed in days.
I’m okay with swept, not mocked,
Floors, and people who say
Sorry a little too much. I’m okay
Drivers who stay at a green light
Too long, and I’m fine if the coffee
Isn’t two minutes fresh? I’m okay
With Mondays, and mistakes,
And I make do with a little mess.
I’m okay with the world not being
All the way okay, and with my bones
Not seeing the light some days.

MARIA GIESBRECHT

It embraces a mindset of acceptance. Life isn’t perfect, but I choose okay. Cold butter, not used clothes, and imperfect moments remind me of the joys of life. There’s no need for speedy coffee or clean floors. Mondays, blunders, and unpleasant days are all associated with my “okay.”

6.	We were all just Humans.


In the end,
We were all just humans,
Drunk on the idea
That Love,
Only Love,
Could Heal
Our Brokenness

CHRISTOPHER POINDEXTER

7.	Who Cares About Perfection?


Even the Moon is not perfect,
        It is full of Craters.
The Sea is incredibly Beautiful
But salty and dark in the depths.
The Sky is always infinite,
        But often cloudy.
So, everything that is beautiful,
        It isn’t perfect.
“ It’s Special”

8.	Most of Life is About Little Things


Most of life is really about the little things.
A good haircut, an excellent playlist
Trying a new recipe that turns out well,
A poem that hits home,
A comfortable spot in the Sun,
Spontaneous messages,
A pen you enjoy writing with, tea with the 
right temperature to drink,
Buying that thing you’ve been eyeing for a while,
A warm bed.
Yeah. I’m so grateful for the 
Little Enjoyments

Tunisian

This poem emphasizes the importance of pleasures and celebrating joy in everyday experiences with little things. These tiny moments, such as a good haircut, music playlist, good recipes, lines of poetry, sunlight, perfect tea, and warm beds, bring joy to our daily lives. 

9.	The Cost of Loving

I love you more than life itself
But I swear I’ll love you better
If you let me turn the heating off
And you wear another sweater.

I cannot get enough of you-
I’m entirely in your thrall.
I like it when you bend over
To unplug the telly from the wall.

Yes, you’re the only one for me,
My sweet and fragrant flower,
Now you’ve ditched the daily baths
For one weekly 4-minute shower.

I love you loads,
You send my head into a spin-
When you eco-wash on thirty,
And cram as much as you can in.

My cup of love is full for you-
How it overflows, my petal.
So make yourself a brew with me,
Just don’t overfill the kettle.

BRIAN BILSTON

10.	 Once in a Lifetime,


You were the first person
I felt wildly unsure
And unwaveringly sure of.

That was the scariest part 
About falling for you:
The fact that I had no idea
What I was doing.

But at the same time,
I knew exactly why
I had to.

Book: I Gave Myself the World 

Life Lessons Poems by Famous Poets:

These inspirational poems carry profound life lessons that help to uplift your mood with an explained summary of these verses.

11.	 “IF” A Life Changing Poem


If you can keep your head when all about you,
Are you 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 them 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,
Your is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And what is more, you’ll be a Man, my son!

RUDYARD KIPLING     ( English Author 1865-1936 )

12.	 Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature’s first Green is Gold.
Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s A Flower;
But only for An Hour.

Then, the leaf subsides into a leaf,
So Eden Sank to Grief.

 So dawn goes down To Day
Nothing Gold Can Stay.

ROBERT FROST ( American Poet 1874-1963 )

In this poem, the author talks about the beauty of nature, the necessity of change or decay, and its short-liveness. In the cycle of nature, the seasons change, and the flowers and leaves wither. All beautiful things in nature will eventually fade away. Likewise, all beautiful and valuable things in life last for so long and will soon disappear. Therefore, we should fully recognize and appreciate the beauty of things and people around us. 

13.	 Life is Short

Life is so short. It gets faster each day.
This life on earth quickly passes away.
Our time to live is precisely here
Then, like a vapor, our lives disappear.

Don't waste your life living for self and gain,
Choosing sin, temporal, or arrogant
Face the God, and you'll genuinely see
What stays infinitely when your life ends?

It will be soon when you take your last breath,
Life ends, and you will encounter death
"Face God, and you will see."
What mattered for eternity.

Your life is getting shorter every day,
And like a vapor, life passes away,
One day, very soon, when your life is past,
Only what you did for God will last

Joe Henkel

The poem advises us to cherish our short time on earth and focus on qualities that extend beyond our physical existence. Our days pass like fireflies. Instead of following temporary pleasures, choose acts of kindness that make a lasting impression on others, motivated by a greater intent. When the curtain drops, only what truly matters will be visible.

14.	 Be Yourself and Be Who You Are

The pain and sadness Came along
I never knew it was through,
What will I do?
I thought I knew myself
More than who I Am.
Well, I’m still finding myself,
Now, You’re too far from what you did.
You choose to be fond of,
Be Bold
To fight your emotions.
Taking the course that leads you astray
You let yourself be a pleaser.
What you’re reaching for is not here.
It is something unseen, a place where You could lay.
And stay candid. Not to be an intelligent book,
Not to be prosperous,
But to be ingenious, a lowly one.
That’s the simple thing you want to become.
Believing yourself will not last;
Be assured that he will give you a hand
So that you can get up.
So pour out your heart, may it be screams
Or whispers you have in there
And do your part,
BE WHO YOU ARE

Dina E. Malmis   

15.	 To My Loved One

My heart flutters; it beats
And has been abducted by you.
I find myself crying, dying
Every time I think of the last time I saw you,

I hardly ever tried to console you, hold you,
And be there by your side.
So now that you’ve gone, I realize that
I was stupid to hide.

When you were alive, I never once told you that I Love You,
Those three simple words that could bring a 
smile to your face
Instead, I tell you now that you’re dead,
Where those three simple words won’t leave a trace.

My mother always said that once you’re dead,
You no longer Feel,
And affection won’t be felt by those who have left,
That is when the person is Alive.

That is when the feelings can connect,
I wrote your name on my skin,
And keep a picture of you with me wherever I go,
But now that you’re gone, what does it matter if I woe?

I never once told you how much you meant to me
Because I thought you’d already know.
But sometimes saying the words is more powerful 
Then just having them show.

Darling, My love, My dear, My best friend,
You now live in your coffin,
You no longer feel anything like you once did,
And unfortunately, I’m not like I used to be.
That compassionate, loving,
Always an “I Love You” type of kid.

  Melissa Paiz

16.	 Forgiveness

Holding a tight stone feels heavy in hand
Let go of its grip on shifting sand.
Forgiveness flows like a gentle river
Lighten your heart and free your spirit.

17.	 The Falling Leaf:


The leaf releases in autumn's sigh
Accept the passing sky without a fight.
Embrace the change by letting it go with grace
Embrace nature to emerge new life.

This poetry of life lessons carries a profound impact, it advises us to accept life changes. It is a fact that letting go of a person or things might hurt you but soon you will forget it and start enjoying happy life.

18.	 Roots and Wings


Deep roots hold you strong                                                    
Stand firm in storms where you belong                     
But wings soar high to chase the Sun                                       
Your journey starts in the open sky

Short Life Meaning Poems with Images:

These short poems about life lessons with their poet’s name motivate you to deal with daily life problems.

19.	 Nothing is as it Seems.

You say you love rain,
But you open your umbrella.
You say you love the Sun,
But you find a shadow spot.
You say you love wind,
But you close your windows.
That is why I am afraid,
When you say you love me.

William Shakespeare

20.	 Love is Everything except What it is

Love is heavy and light,
Bright and dark,
Hot and cold,
Sick and healthy,
Asleep and awake-
It’s everything except what it is!

William Shakespeare ( From Romeo & Juliet )

21.	 Commitment

When death
Takes my hand,
I will hold you with the other
And promise to find you
In every lifetime

Rupi Kaur

22.	  I Choose

I choose to love you in the silence,
For in silence, I find no rejection.
I choose to love you in loneliness,
For in loneliness, no one owns you but me.
I choose to adore you from a distance,
For distance will shield me from pain.
I choose to kiss you in the wind,
For the wind is gentler than my lips.
I choose to hold you in my dreams,
For in my dreams, you have no end.

Jallaludin Muhammad Rumi

23.	 Her


Her eyes
Stole my heart
Her smile
Gave me life
Her presence
Made me high
Her touch
It left me breathless.

Perry Poetry

24.	 What is Life??

Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then he is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, complete of sound and fury,
Signifying Nothing.

William Shakespeare, Macbeth

25.	  I hadn’t Told Them

I hadn’t told them about you,
But they saw you, bathing in my eyes.
I hadn’t told them about you,
But they find thou in my written words.
The perfume of love can’t be concealed.

Nizar Qabani

Lesson:   Love’s presence can also be seen by eyes, not only through spoken words, because love cannot remain hidden.

26.	  I hope

I hope you meet yourself
Before you meet them
So that you don’t have
To spend your entire life
Finding yourself
In them.

Kavya De Dixit

27.	 Do You Agree?

Love me or hate me,
Both are in my favor. If you love me,
I’ll always be in your heart,
If you hate me,
I’ll always be in
Your mind.

William Shakespeare

28.	  Depths


I am an entire ocean
And this you fail to understand,
When you think you can see all of me,
Just by standing on the sand.
You cannot tell me who to be
Or how to treat my tide
When you’ve never even dipped a toe
Into who I am inside.

E.H

Rumi Poems About Life Lessons & Struggles

Jalalud-Din Muhammad Rumi was an ancient Persian scholar and Sufi Poet. He is considered one of the greatest poets ever living on earth.

Today, his presence remains strong due to using words dipped with divinity.

29.	 I am, and I am not.

I’m drenched in the flood,
Which has yet to come.
I’m tied up in the prison,
Which has yet to exist.
Not having played the game of chess,
I’m already the checkmate.
Not having tasted a single cup of your wine,
I’m already drunk.
Not having entered the battlefield,
I’m already wounded and slain.
I no longer know the difference,
Between image and reality.
Like the shadow 
I am and 
I am Not

Rumi

30.	 Before Life,

I wasn’t like this before
I wasn’t out of my mind, and my senses
Once, I used to be wise like you,
Not crazy. Insane and broken down, 
Like I am now.

I wasn’t an admirer of life,
Which has no trace, no being.
I used to ask, “Who is this?
What is that?”
And search all the time.

Since you have wisdom,
Sit and think that
I was like this before.
I haven’t changed much.

I used to try to make
I am better than everybody.
I hadn’t been hunted.
With the ever-growing Love before.

I tried to rise above the sky,
With my ambition, yet I didn’t know,
I was wandering in the desert.

In the end, I have raised a treasure from the ground.

31.	  In Silence,

A guide has entered this life.
His message is only heard in silence.

Take a sip of his precious wine
And lose yourself.
Don’t insult the greatness of his love,
For he helps all those who suffer in silence.

Polish the mirror between the breaths.
Go with him beyond words.
He knows your every deed.
He is the one
who moves the wheel of heaven in silence.

Every thought is buried in your heart;
He will reveal them one by one in silence.
Turn each of your thoughts into a bird
And let them fly to the other world.
One is an owl, one is a falcon, and one is a crow.
Each one is different from the others
But they are all the same in silence.

To see the Moon that cannot be seen
Turn your eyes inward
and look at yourself in silence.

In this world and the next,
Don’t talk about this and that;
Let him show you everything,
shining as one . . . in silence.

32.	 The Story of My Life

I was ready to tell
the story of my life,
but the ripple of tears
and the agony of my heart
wouldn't let me.
 
I began to stutter
saying a word here and there
and all along, I felt
as tender as a crystal
ready to be shattered.
 
In this stormy sea,
we call life.
all the big ships
come apart
board by board.
 
How can I survive
riding a lonely,
little boat
with no oars
and no arms?
 
My boat finally broke
by the waves
and I broke free
as I tied myself
to a single board.
 
Though the panic is gone,
I am now offended.
Why should I be so helpless
rising with one wave
and falling with the next?
 
I don't know
if I am
nonexistent
while I exist,
but I know for sure
when I am
I am not
but
when I am not
then I am.
 
Now, how can I be
a skeptic
about the
resurrection and
coming to life again?
 
In this world,
I have many times
like my imagination
died and
been born again.

33.	 When I Die

When I die
when my coffin
is being taken out
you must never think
I am missing this world

don't shed any tears
don't lament or
feel sorry
I'm not falling
into a monster's abyss

when you see
my corpse is being carried
don't cry about my leaving
I'm not leaving
I'm arriving at eternal love

when you leave me
in the grave
don't say goodbye
remember, a grave is
only a curtain
for the paradise behind

you'll only see me
descending into a grave
now watch me rise
how can there be an end
when the sun sets or
the moon goes down

it looks like the end
it seems like a sunset
but in reality, it is a dawn
when the grave locks you up
that is when your soul is freed

have you ever seen
a seed has fallen to earth
not rise with a new life
why should you doubt the rise
of a seed named human

have you ever seen
a bucket lowered into a well
coming back empty
why lament for a soul
when it can come back
like Joseph from the well

when for the last time
you close your mouth
your words and soul
will belong to the world of
no place, no time

Life poetry by Rumi

Heart Touching Poem By Farhan Akhtar

This poem is taken from Farhan Akhtar’s movie ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ aired on Netflix India

34.	When Clouds of pain loom in the sky.
When a shadow of sadness flickers by.
When a tear finds its way to the eye.
When fear keeps the loneliness alive.

I try and console my heart.
Why is it that you cry?
This is what life imparts.
These deep silences are within.

Everyone goes through this.
Everyone’s story has a little sorrow.
Everyone’s share has a little sunshine.
There’s no need to cry.
Every moment is a new life.
Why do you let them pass you by?
Oh heart, why is it that you cry?

Short Lesson: This poem always motivates us to never lose hope due to the ups and downs of life. We should try to keep going forward by overcoming these challenges,

Credit for this video goes to Netflix India.

FAQs:

Final Thought:

I hope these poems about life in English teach you deep life lessons that will lead your journey of self-discovery and personal growth to a higher level.

Which one is your favorite poem from this collection? Do you have one favorite among these?

Could you share it in the comments section below? I’d love to hear from you.