A Face Without A Smile
Take a moment to smile as you read these uplifting poems about the power of a cheerful face.
A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman
Updated January 22, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer
Be encouraged to smile more as you read these poems. A simple smile can lift your own spirit, and it can also brighten someone else’s day.
If you enjoy the first poem, share it with a friend or family member. Smiles spread quickly, and they often return to us when we need them most.
The other poems on this page also remind us that a smile is not just for the easy days. It is also a choice we can make when life feels heavy.
A Face Without A Smile
Like bread without the spreadin',
Like a puddin' without sauce,
Like a mattress without beddin',
Like a cart without a hoss,
Like a door without a latchstring,
Like a fence without a stile,
Like a dry an' barren creek bed,
Is a face without a smile!
Like a house without a dooryard,
Like a yard without a flower,
Like a clock without a mainspring,
That will never tell the hour;
A thing that sort o' makes yo' feel
A hunger all the while —
Oh, the saddest sight that ever was
Is a face without a smile!
The face of man was built fer smiles,
An' thereby he is blest
Above the critters of the field,
The birds an' all the rest;
He's just a little lower
Than the angels in the skies.
An' the reason is that he can smile;
Therein his glory lies!
So smile an' don't fergit to smile,
An' smile, an' smile ag'in;
Twill help loosen up the cords o' care
An' ease the weight o' sin;
Twill help yo' on the longest road,
An' cheer yo' mile by mile;
An' so, whatever is your lot,
Jes' smile, an' smile, an' smile!
Blessings On The Man
Blessings on the man who smiles!
I do not mean the man who smiles for effect,
Nor the one who smiles when the world smiles,
I mean the man whose smile is born of an inner radiance,
The man who smiles when the clouds lower,
When fortune frowns, when the tides are adverse.
Such a man not only makes a new world for himself,
But he multiplies himself an hundred fold
in the strength and courage of other men.
With A Smile
Not by appointment do we meet delight and joy;
They wait not our expectancy;
But round some corner in the street of life,
They, on a sudden, greet us with a smile.
Popular Pages:
If you need a lift today, visit Poems Of Encouragement for words that help you keep going.
Feeling stressed, then visit Worry Less Smile More for reminders to let go and breathe.
Want a quick boost, then Smile More has short poems that nudge your heart in a better direction.
For fast inspiration, Smile Quotes is filled with simple lines that can turn your day around.
Begin your morning well by visiting Start Your Day With A Smile and take that hopeful feeling with you.
For thoughtful reading, Poems About Life offers poems that speak to everyday joys and challenges.
Need a little fun, then read A Laugh Pays Best In The End for poems that remind you to laugh again.
Conclusion
A smile may seem small, but it can make a big difference. These poems remind us that smiling brings warmth to our own hearts and comfort to others. Even on hard days, a smile can help us take the next step with more hope. So as you go through your day, look for reasons to smile, and share that smile freely.
More Smile Poems to Encourage
Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.
Mother Teresa