15+ Heartwarming Poems about Appreciation

(15 to start, 175+ to explore)

Poems about appreciation are wide-ranging. They cover experiences of gratitude as well as a lack of gratitude when it may have been warranted.

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Many appreciation poems ask readers to consider the simple things in their everyday life, from a red wheelbarrow to a shirt, family dinner, a trip to the store, and a healthy body to live in. Reminding readers of all the things one should be grateful for in an overwhelming world that always demands “more” is a common theme in these pieces of verse.

Whether the appreciation poem was written in the 1700s or 1900s, these highly-relatable poems cover various topics and life experiences. Some are addressed to the reader while others are addressed to the person or thing being appreciated.

A poet might dedicate their words to a loved one, praising them and thanking them for support during tough transitions or asking them to take the time to appreciate what they have sacrificed. Other writers might use apostrophes, addressing their words to inanimate objects, the dead, or divine forces, conveying their love, admiration, and appreciation for these objects or forces.

Poems about Appreciation Visual Representation

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Counting Sheep White Blood Cells

by Sujata Bhatt

‘Counting Sheep White Blood Cells’ by Sujata Bhatt speaks of the joy one can find in mundane, everyday activities and how careful consideration of something doesn’t have to be exhausting or boring.

The poem focuses on the value of appreciating the nuances in our daily tasks. By drawing parallels between vast natural phenomena and detailed lab work, Bhatt is able to encourage readers to appreciate the beauty in all aspects of life.

It was like being ordered

to count the stars

and to classify them

by their size, their brightness -

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"> 85/100

Loveliest of Trees

by A. E. Housman

‘Loveliest of Trees’ by A. E. Housman is a joyful nature poem in which the speaker describes how powerful the image of cherry blossom trees is in his life. He takes a great deal of pleasure from looking at them.

‘Loveliest of trees, the cherry now’ by A. E. Housman is a piece of admiration and appreciation of the cherry blossoms as well as nature. Each year during spring cherry trees put on white robes of blossoms and mesmerize the speaker.

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now

Is hung with bloom along the bough,

And stands about the woodland ride

Wearing white for Eastertide.

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Loving Someone You Can't Have

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"> 85/100

Sonnet 131

by William Shakespeare

‘Sonnet 131,’ also known as ‘Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art,’ is a poem about how the Dark Lady’s beauty moves the speaker. He knows she’s untraditionally beautiful but he doesn’t care!

‘Sonnet 131’ by William Shakespeare deals with the appreciation of a woman who is not considered beautiful, thus disregarded by men. This woman holds the same power as any other woman has over her admirers. According to Shakespeare, she is fair in her own way though she may not appear so.

Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art,

As those whose beauties proudly make them cruel;

For well thou know'st to my dear doting heart

Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel.

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Australia 1970

by Judith Wright

‘Australia 1970’ by Judith Wright speaks on the changing landscape of Australia in the 1970s. It promotes a fierce, wild, and dangerous version of Australia like the animals that have always lived within its boundaries.

'Australia 1970' can be regarded as a poetic piece appreciating the uniqueness of Australia. Wright takes special note of its drought, dust, creeks, and wild animals in the final stanza of the poem.

Die, wild country, like the eaglehawk,

dangerous till the last breath's gone,

clawing and striking. Die

cursing your captor through a raging eye.

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Look, Stranger

by W.H. Auden

‘Look, Stranger’ by W. H. Auden captures the beauty of a moment observed by the speaker and reveals the very human desire to commit it to memory.

There are a variety of things that the speaker clearly appreciates throughout the poem. First and foremost, there is the view that they are describing for our and their benefit. They clearly appreciate this view for its beauty and the wonder it inspires in them. But there is also an appreciation for being able to share this sight with the titular stranger, which of course, refers to the reader.

Look, stranger, on this island now

The leaping light for your delight discovers,

Stand stable here

And silent be,

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Ode to Dirt

by Sharon Olds

‘Ode to Dirt’ is an impassioned all for everyone to reevaluate their perception of dirt and learn to appreciate it for its many qualities.

The poem both apologizes for humanity's general lack of appreciation for dirt in the past and calls for a greater sense of appreciation for it moving forwards. Much of the poem is taken up with arguments to support this appreciation.

Dear dirt, I am sorry I slighted you,

I thought that you were only the background

for the leading characters—the plants

and animals and human animals.

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Aimless Love

by Billy Collins

In ‘Aimless Love,” the speaker finds himself falling love with the precarious beauty of everyday life.

The poem focuses on appreciating ordinary life, and by describing the speaker's wonder-filled encounters with ordinary things, Collins encourages the reader to fall in love with them, too.

This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,

I fell in love with a wren

and later in the day with a mouse

the cat had dropped under the dining room table.

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Laugh and be Merry

by John Masefield

‘Laugh and be Merry’ urges the reader to live their life with joy and show appreciation for the world around them.

Appreciation is a very important idea that is demonstrated throughout the poem. The poet believes that laughter and joyfulness are a way to express appreciation for the world. While explaining his viewpoint, the poet also expresses their own appreciation for the world around them and the way that they appreciate God for his work of creation. The poet urges other people to demonstrate appreciation.

Laugh and be merry, remember, better the world with a song,

Better the world with a blow in the teeth of a wrong.

Laugh, for the time is brief, a thread the length of a span.

Laugh and be proud to belong to the old proud pageant of man.

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Mothers and Daughters

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Free Verse

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Elegy

"> 76/100

Before You Were Mine

by Carol Ann Duffy

‘Before You Were Mine’ by Carol Ann Duffy is a beautiful and nostalgic poem that features a woman’s contemplations of her mother’s life before the latter gave birth to her.

It's clear that the speaker deeply appreciates her mother throughout this poem. This is seen quite clearly in the final stanza when she recalls walking home from mass and the fun she used to have with her mother. She deeply loves and admires her.

I’m ten years away from the corner you laugh on

with your pals, Maggie McGeeney and Jean Duff.

The three of you bend from the waist, holding

each other, or your knees, and shriek at the pavement.

#10

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Times Like These

by Gillian Clarke

‘Times Like These’ weighs life’s capacity for joyous passion against moments that offer only despair, uncertainty, and powerlessness.

In the poem’s conclusion, the speaker articulates a deep sense of appreciation that sharply contrasts the bleak opening stanza. They assert that "in times like these we should praise trees and babies," giving voice to their revitalized dedication in valuing the simple, yet profound aspects of life. This is emblazoned in their affirmation to "take the children walking in beech-woods," underscoring the importance of gratitude and cherishing present moments.

Too heavy-hearted to go walking

in beech-woods. At night the children's sleep

is racked by dreams. They wake crying of war.

Pushing a pram in 1961,

#11

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Stormcock in Elder

by Ruth Pitter

‘Stormcock in Elder’ by Ruth Pitter describes the nature of a mistle thrush which sings in close proximity to the speaker.

This ode to a mistle thrush written by Ruth Pitter could be read as an appreciation of nature and God’s creations as a whole.

By the small door where the old roof Hangs but five feet above the ground, I groped along the shelf for bread But found celestial food instead:

#12

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Name

by Carol Ann Duffy

Carol Ann Duffy’s ‘Name’ is a beautiful love poem from her poetry collection “Rapture”. It centers on a speaker’s adoration of her beloved and how she thinks of her name.

This poem conveys a deep sense of appreciation for a loved one, as the speaker cherishes even the smallest parts of their partner’s name. The name becomes like a precious item, compared to jewels and soft touches, showing how much each detail means. Through this gentle focus on appreciation, the poem reveals how love can make even ordinary things feel valuable, comforting, and unforgettable.

When did your name

change from a proper noun

to a charm?

#13

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Part III: An Essay on Criticism

by Alexander Pope

Mirroring Catholic belief in apostolic succession, Pope traces the rise, fall, and revival of literary criticism through important figures from the classical period to his age.

In Part III, appreciation becomes a key, positive theme. Pope defines the essential virtues of the truly appreciative critic, such as humility and integrity, vital for unbiased judgment. He then celebrates historical figures like Aristotle and Horace, presenting them as models of great appreciation for literary excellence. For Pope, appreciation is a significant moral virtue, requiring genuine love for truth and art. This section demonstrates that sincere appreciation results from overcoming the critical failings discussed earlier in the poem.

Learn then what morals critics ought to show, For 'tis but half a judge's task, to know. 'Tis not enough, taste, judgment, learning, join; In all you speak, let truth and candour shine:

#14

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Eventide

by Gwendolyn Brooks

‘Eventide’ portrays an aspect of the evening, which is peaceful hence the sunset nature giving people hope and consolation.

Beauty and calmness of nature are elements that define appreciation as perceived in the context of the story. The use of graph imagery and descriptive language makes the readers want to appreciate the beauty of the scenery depicted and be grateful for life’s essentials. This calls for a feeling of ample gratitude for the natural sight of the world in the evening from the type of description Lover uses in his poem.

When the sun sinks behind the mountains ,

And the sky is besprinkled with color ,

And the neighboring brook is peaceful still ,

With A gentle , silent ripple now and then;

#15

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From Blossoms

by Li-Young Lee

‘From Blossoms’ describes the simple joys of summer. It uses peaches to explore the vivid interconnectedness of the world.

The speaker of this poem takes the time to truly appreciate the peaches that he is eating. He considers them as part of a broader context, admires each one for its beauty and flavor, and thinks of them as a way to better understand his own life.

From blossoms comes

this brown paper bag of peaches

we bought from the boy

at the bend in the road where we turned toward

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15+ Heartwarming Poems about Appreciation

(15 to start, 175+ to explore)

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15+ Heartwarming Poems about Appreciation

(15 to start, 175+ to explore)

by Sujata Bhatt

by A. E. Housman

by William Shakespeare

by Judith Wright

by W.H. Auden

by Sharon Olds

by Billy Collins

by John Masefield

by Carol Ann Duffy

by Gillian Clarke

by Ruth Pitter

by Carol Ann Duffy

by Alexander Pope

by Gwendolyn Brooks

by Li-Young Lee

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