Positivity

15+ Powerful Positivity Poems

(15 to start, 25+ to explore)

These uplifting and hopeful poems about positivity radiate optimism and resilience. They inspire readers to embrace positivity and see the silver lining in life’s challenges.

These verses may explore the power of a positive mindset, the strength in overcoming adversity, and the significance of gratitude and kindness.

Poets use language to infuse joy, motivation, and a sense of possibility, encouraging readers to seek positivity in the face of darkness and to spread positivity to others, creating ripples of hope and optimism in the world.

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Laughing Song

by William Blake

‘Laughing Song’ from Blake’s collection ‘Songs of Innocence’ celebrates the innocent and pure joy found among nature and children.

The poem radiates positivity, depicting a harmonious union between humanity and nature as laughter echoes from the green woods to the cheerful streams and children, embodying pure joy. This celebration amidst nature's exuberance offers hope for spiritual renewal, contrasting with the vices and burdens of urban life as the rhythmic refrain, 'Ha, Ha, He!' invites readers to partake in transcendent joy, inspiring a longing for profound experience amidst the positive and surreal natural world.

When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy,

And the dimpling stream runs laughing by;

When the air does laugh with our merry wit,

And the green hill laughs with the noise of it;

#2
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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.

This poem is filled with a sense of positivity. This starts with the title of the poem, urging people to feel a sense of joy, and it continues throughout. The poet explains how they believe that people can maintain a sense of positivity while explaining their own sense of positivity and how it relates to their religious beliefs. They believe that there is positivity to be found all around us in the world.

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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For a’ That and a’ That

by Robert Burns

‘For a’ That and a’ That’ by Robert Burns describes man’s true worth as not being defined by wealth, position, or possessions.

The poem exudes positivity and hopefulness, uplifting the poor and readers alike with its optimistic message. It positively empowers the impoverished by emphasizing their moral strength of honesty and integrity, motivating them to persevere despite adversity. Through its call for a global future where sense and worth prevail, the poem instills a sense of possibility and positivity, inspiring all to strive for a more just and equitable society.

Is there, for honest poverty,

         That hings his head, an' a' that?

The coward slave, we pass him by,

         We dare be poor for a' that!

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A Giraffe and a Half

by Shel Silverstein

‘A Giraffe and a Half’ by Shel Silverstein playfully narrates a giraffe’s absurd journey, brimming with humor, imagination, and unexpected twists.

The poem addresses positivity through its unusual and lighthearted tone, which encourages readers to find joy in the absurd and unexpected. Despite facing challenges, the giraffe maintains a positive attitude, embracing each new encounter with enthusiasm and curiosity. Through playful language and vivid imagery, the poem celebrates the power of positivity in navigating life's adventures.

If you had a giraffe

And he stretched another half

You would have a giraffe and a half.

If he put on a hat

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Thanksgiving Comes But Once a Year

by Thornton Burgess

‘Thanksgiving Comes But Once a Year’ by Thornton W. Burgess joyfully captures the essence of gratitude and the anticipation of the holiday season.

The poem ‘Thanksgiving Comes But Once a Year’ embodies positivity through its celebration of abundance and gratitude. The speaker's optimistic outlook, evident in their contentment and anticipation for Thanksgiving, promotes a positive perspective. The poem emphasizes the rewards of hard work and the joy found in life's simple pleasures, fostering a positive attitude toward diligence, gratitude, and the abundance of life.

Thanksgiving comes but once a year,

But when it comes it brings good cheer.

For in my storehouse on this day

Are piles of good things hid away.

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Hope

by Joseph Addison

‘Hope’ by Joseph Addison shares the lofty, optimistic belief that periods of sorrow are outlasted by renewals of happiness.

Apart from hope, the poem and its optimistic speaker radiate with an almost overpowering positivity. The only thing that keeps the former from sounding trite, naive, or arrogant is the relative sincerity of their tone and Addison's imagery. The symbols used to represent sorrow and hope accentuate life's tendency toward change, focusing on the more positive, glass-half-full perception that if nothing lasts forever that includes periods of anguish.

Our lives, discoloured with our present woes,

May still grow white and shine with happier hours.

So the pure limped stream, when foul with stains

Of rushing torrents and descending rains,

#7
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One’s-Self I Sing

by Walt Whitman

‘One’s-Self I Sing’ by Walt Whitman is a short poem that explores a few of the themes Whitman is going to use in Inscriptions. The poem celebrates the beauty and wonder of the common and separate identities of humanity. 

A note of positivity runs through this poem. The repeated refrains give the sense of an exaltation of positivity and praise. Every line and every emotion expressed has a positive feeling to it. The poem has a feeling of the poet wanting to express the emotions that have been building up within them as they express their hopes and their optimism.

One’s-Self I sing, a simple separate person,

Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse.

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Somewhere or Other

by Christina Rossetti

This poem is like a message of hope, even when things seem unsure. It talks about meeting someone special someday, maybe far away, maybe close by.

The poem addresses uncertainty through acknowledging the uncertainties and the wait involved in finding love. It focuses on the power of hope and belief in eventual fulfillment, leaving the reader with a sense of optimism and a positive outlook on the future.

Somewhere or other there must surely be

The face not seen, the voice not heard,

The heart that not yet—never yet—ah me!

Made answer to my word.

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Sumer is icumen in

by W. de Wycombe

‘Sumer is icumen in’ is a song written in the Wessex dialect of Middle English. The brilliance of the composition lies in the use of a refrain that resonates with the consecutive cooing of the Cuckoo.

Summer has arrived,

Loudly sing, cuckoo!

The seed is growing

And the meadow is blooming,

#10
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The Man Of Life Upright

by Thomas Campion

Written at the start of the seventeenth century, this is an easy to understand poem about a man’s faith and his belief in how to live a virtuous life. The upright man is held up as an example of how to live your life.

The message of this poem is overwhelmingly positive. Whether or not people agree with Campion's faith or with his guide to virtuousness it is clear that Campion is trying to explain a way to improve a person's life through acts that he considers to be positive.

The man of life upright,

  Whose guiltless heart is free

From all dishonest deeds,

  Or thought of vanity,

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Complex Matter

by Gabriel Okara

‘Complex Matter’ by Gabriel Okara is a poem that delves into the poet’s personal sense of identity and self.

This poem is filled with a sense of positivity. The poet seems to be very comfortable with his ideas of who he is, and he focuses on the positive aspects of his identity, seeing the multifaceted nature of it as something to be celebrated. The poet looks at the best version of himself - the version that seeks to help others - and wishes to focus on this version of himself.

I am not one person, I am many things, many persons

I am what you see and think you know;

I am what I see and think I know of me-

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Where the Sidewalk Ends

by Shel Silverstein

‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’ by Shel Silverstein speaks on the important theme of growing up. The poet discusses the differences between the adult world and the mind of a child.

The poem presents a hopeful and optimistic outlook, showing that there is always a place where happiness and creativity can exist. It encourages readers to look beyond their daily struggles and believe that a more peaceful and joyful world is possible. Silverstein uses playful and uplifting language to remind people that even in stressful times, they can still find moments of happiness.

here is a place where the sidewalk ends

And before the street begins,

And there the grass grows soft and white,

And there the sun burns crimson bright,

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Come

by Sara Teasdale

In ‘Come,’ Sara Teasdale crafts a plea for love amidst fleeting moments, weaving delicate metaphors of life’s transience.

This poem encapsulates positivity through its celebration of love's immediacy. The vibrant imagery, urgent plea, and emphasis on the present moment create an optimistic atmosphere. The poem's focus on warmth and eagerness inspires a positive outlook, inviting readers to appreciate the beauty and intensity of emotions within the fleeting moments of life.

Come, when the pale moon like a petal

Floats in the pearly dusk of Spring,

Come with arms outstretched to take me,

Come with lips that long to cling.

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Life Doesn’t Frighten Me

by Maya Angelou

‘Life Doesn’t Frighten Me’ by Maya Angelou is a memorable poem that focuses on a child. She takes the reader into this child’s mind who expresses superior courage.

There is a strong sense of positivity in the poem because the speaker chooses to focus on their strength instead of their fear. Even when they talk about things that could be frightening, they do not let those things bring them down. The poem encourages readers to take on life with a positive attitude and reminds them that fear only has power if they allow it to.

Shadows on the wall

Noises down the hall

Life doesn't frighten me at all

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The Aureole

by Nikky Finney

In ‘The Aureole,’ Finney crafts a poetic tapestry, exploring self-discovery, resilience, and desire with vivid imagery and profound introspection.

The poem addresses positivity through themes of resilience and finding beauty amidst adversity. Despite challenges, the characters display strength and grace, symbolized by lucky clover and green tea-sweet necklace. These images represent optimism and a hopeful outlook, emphasizing the ability to discover blessings even in difficult circumstances. The poem encourages a positive perspective, portraying characters who embody courage and tenacity amid life's trials.

I stop my hand midair.

If I touch her there everything about me will be true.

The New World discovered without pick or ax.

I will be what Brenda Jones was stoned for in 1969.

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