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16 Good Poems About Kindness, Compassion, And Doing Good
Find good poems to inspire you to do good in this world. These are great poems to remind us we all have a choice each and every day in our attitudes and in our actions. If we all did one good thing for someone else each day, it could change the world. The ripple effect of your one good thing may go further than you could have ever imagined.
We hope these inspirational poems inspire you to help others and do good!
Updated June 4, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer.
Good I Can Do
Poet: Geo. L. Banks
I live to greet that season
By gifted men foretold,
When men shall live by reason
And not alone by gold;
When, man to man united
And every wrong thing righted,
This whole world shall be lighted,
As Eden was of old.
I live for every cause that lacks assistance.
For every wrong that needs resistance.
For the future in the distance
And the good that I can do.
Do Well
Poet: Unknown
Say well is good, but do well is better;
Do well seems spirit, say well the letter.
Say well is Godly, and helpeth to please,
But do well lives Godly, and gives the world ease.
Say well to silence sometimes is bound,
But do well is free on every ground.
Say well has friends, some here, some there,
But do well is welcome everywhere.
But say well to many God's word cleaves,
But for lack of do well it often leaves.
If say well and do well were bound in one frame,
Then all were done, all were won, and gotten were gain
What They Are
Poet: Phillips Brooks
The power of mere activity is often overrated.
It is not what the best men do,
But what they are,
That constitutes their truest benefaction to their fellowmen.
The things that men do get their value, after all,
From the way in which they are able to show the
Existence of character which can comfort and help mankind, . . .
It is the lives, like the stars,
Which simply pour down on us the calm light of
Their bright and faithful being,
Up to which we look and out of which we gather
The deepest calm and courage.
The Higher Life
Poet: Edith V. Bradt
If I should see
A brother languishing in sore distress,
And I should turn and leave him comfortless,
When I might be
A messenger of hope and happiness,
How could I ask to have what I denied,
In my own hour of bitterness supplied?
If I might share
A brother's load along the dusty way.
And I should turn and walk alone that day -
How could I dare.
When in the evening-watch I knelt to pray,
To ask for help to bear my pain and loss,
If I had heeded not my brother's cross?
If I might sing
a little song to cheer a fainting heart,
And I should seal my lips and sit apart,
When I might bring
A bit of sunshine for life's ache and smart,
How could I hope to have my grief relieved
If I kept silent when my brother grieved?
And so I know
That day is lost wherein I failed to lend
A helping hand to some wayfaring friend;
But if it show
A burden lightened by the cheer I send,
Then do I hold the golden hours well spent,
And lay me down to sleep in sweet content.
Daily Service
Poet: Unknown
Service to your fellow man.
Helping when and where you can,
With a word of hope and cheer
That may help dispel some fear,
May not seem like much to you -
Yet the little things you do
And the thoughts you may convey,
As you went along life's way
Simple though to you they seem,
Are what win the world's esteem.
Can You Forget?
Poet: Unknown
So easy to remember, but can you forget,
An act of unkindness that hurt?
Are you big enough to forgive, or as yet
Do you plan some revengeful dirt?
What can we profit by killing
Or what can we lose to forgive?
It is godly to love and be willing
To forget and help one to live.
A good deed mixed in with the bad
May never be mentioned at all.
The receiver may be good or a cad
But the kindness each one will recall.
Though the bad deeds have angered the mind
Or caused some to say how they hate
They'll remember your deeds that were kind
But ne'er the abuse they must take.
Selfishness
Poet: Edgar A. Guest
Think of yourself from first to last;
Guard yourself from wintry blast;
Feed your stomach and quench your thirst;
Feather your nest and feather it first;
Fly to your pleasures and dance them through -
There is nobody else in this world but you.
Think of yourself - and right or wrong,
Give no thought to the passing throng.
What if your conduct should bring to shame
Those who honor and share your name?
What if they're hurt by the things you do?
Why should their suffering trouble you?
Live for yourself, but don't complain
When you have come to the world's disdain.
Don't return when the night comes on
And wonder where all your friends have gone.
Carry no burden except your own,
But always be ready to weep alone.
But if you wish for the happy years
And the love of a friend who sees your tears,
And the world's respect and an honored name.
And all the joys which the gentle claim.
You must think of others in all you do -
You must think of them first, and last of you.
Say Something Good
Poet: James Whitcomb Riley
When over the fair fame of friend or foe
The shadow of disgrace shall fall, instead
Of words of blame, or proof of thus and so,
Let something good be said.
Forget not that no fellow-being yet
May fall so low but love may lift his head;
Even the cheek of shame with tears is wet,
If something good be said.
No generous heart may vainly turn aside
In ways of sympathy; no soul so dead
But may awaken strong and glorified,
If something good be said.
And so I charge ye, by the thorny crown,
And by the cross on which the Savior bled,
And by your own soul's hope of fair renown,
Let something good be said.
We All Might Do Good
Poet: G. Linneus Banks
We all might do good
Where we often do ill -
There is always the way
If there be but the will;
Though it be but a word
Kindly breathed or suppressed,
It may guard off some pain,
Or give peace to some breast.
We all might do good
In a thousand small ways -
In forbearing to flatter,
Yet yielding due praise;
In spurning ill rumor,
Reproving wrong done,
And treating but kindly
The heart we have won.
We all might do good
Whether lowly or great,
For the deed is not gauged
By the purse or estate;
If it be but a cup
Of cold water that's given;
Like the widow's two mites,
It is something for heaven.
Laughs and Loves
Poet: Strickland Gillilan
Now I "haven't just tried to be "funny"
And I haven't just tried to be "smart."
Nor yet is it only for money
'Tis largely a matter of heart!
Long after the laughter has ended
Years after the income is spent,
May the laughs and the loves I have blended
Still deepen some human's content.
Through Life
Poet: Unknown
We slight the gifts that every season bears,
And let them fall unheeded from our grasp,
In our great eagerness to reach and clasp
The promised treasure of the coming years;
Or else we mourn some great good passed away,
And in the shadow of our grief shut in,
Refuse the lesser good we yet might win,
The offered peace and gladness of to-day.
So through the chambers of our life we pass,
And leave them one by one, and never stay,
Not knowing how much pleasantness there was
In each until the closing of the door
Has sounded thro' the house and died away,
And in our hearts we sigh "Forevermore."
A Good Thing To Do
Poet: Sydney Dayre
Hold it back, tie it down,
Bind it fast and tight.
Set your lips together close -
Which will win the fight?
Let it go wild and free,
Running reckless riot?
Surely that will quickly be
An end of peace and quiet.
Strongest men of all you know
Find it hard to do.
If you try your very best,
Victory for you.
Try it hard. Bring to it
Firm determination.
If you rule it well and good,
You can rule a nation.
To all the heroes who have been
Tried and told and sung,
Let us add the sturdy boy
Who can hold his tongue.
Do You?
Poet: Caroll Van Court
Do you ever think of the harm you can do
When you utter a word that's unkind?
Do you ever think of the heart that may ache
From a speech that is cruelly designed?
It isn't so hard to be careful of speech,
In showing how well you are bred;
When tempted to torture a sensitive heart,
Just leave words that worry unsaid.
Be Good To Yourself
Poet: Minnie Brehm
What simple, sincere logic there -
Or is it perhaps a kindly prayer?
A prayer to rid one's self of gloom.
So in each life there will be room
For appreciation of joys which so abound
In the simple things we have around ...
A baby's gurgling, sweet quick laugh,
A bird in a rain pool, taking a bath,
The wind's caress, or sun's bright ray,
The friends we see from day to day.
Surely, "Be good to yourself" -
By keeping hate and envy on the shelf,
And by giving the world the best in you,
As has so often been proven true,
The best will then come back to you.
So the best way that you really can
"Be good to yourself" - is by
Being good to your fellowman.
Good Words
Poet: John Kendrick Bangs
To have a good word for my neighbor,
To have a good word for my friend,
Involves but a wee bit of labor,
And nothing to boast in the end.
But words that are good for my foeman
And credit for virtues possest -
Now that is a task, sir, that no man
Can find little short of a test
Of his best!
Look For Goodness
Poet: Alice Cary
Do not look for wrong and evil:
You will find them if you do.
As you measure for your neighbor,
He will measure back to you.
Look for goodness, look for gladness:
You will meet them all the while.
If you bring a smiling visage
To the glass, you meet a smile.
Key Reflections
-
Small acts of kindness matter.
A kind word, a helping hand, or a thoughtful action can make a bigger difference than we often realize.
-
Goodness begins with everyday choices.
These poems remind us that how we speak, act, and treat others shapes both our lives and the world around us.
-
Compassion creates connection.
Helping others, showing understanding, and offering encouragement can strengthen friendships and build stronger communities.
-
Positive actions leave lasting impact.
Even simple moments of kindness may continue to inspire others long after they happen.
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Conclusion
These good poems remind us that kindness, compassion, and thoughtful actions still matter in everyday life. A simple word of encouragement, a helping hand, or a caring attitude may seem small, but those moments often leave the greatest impact. We hope these poems encourage you to look for goodness, speak with kindness, and continue doing good wherever life takes you.
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