My fav Poem Collections
A curated collection of poems that have stayed with me, moved me, and made me stop and stare at the world differently.
This poem by W.H. Davies makes me think everyday:
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
"Leisure" by W.H. Davies — This poem is one of my all time favourites. It asks us the most important question — in this life of ours which is full of care and worry, do we ever stop and just be? Do we ever take the time to stand and stare and soak in the beauty around us?
I love poetry because it is the most honest form of expression. A few lines can say what a thousand words cannot. It can capture a feeling, a moment, a truth in a way that prose sometimes struggles to.
Here are some more of my favourites that I return to again and again:
"Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou — Because there are days when you need to be reminded of your own fire.
"If" by Rudyard Kipling — A letter to every person who is trying to navigate this world with grace and dignity.
"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost — Because sometimes the path you choose defines you in ways you never imagined.
"Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou — Because every woman needs to read this and feel it in her bones.
Poetry, for me, is like a good friend. It meets you where you are. It does not judge. It just holds space for whatever you are feeling. And sometimes, that is all you need.