28 Poems About Happiness
Poems inspiring gratitude and joy, embracing happiness in everyday moments.
Updated July 7, 2025, by Catherine Pulsifer
Let these poems about happiness inspire you to embrace the joy found in everyday moments. Happiness isn’t a far-off goal; it’s right here, in the little things, a quiet walk, a warm smile, or the pride in a job well done. It’s in the simple joys that fill our days.
True happiness starts with gratitude. When you feel good about who you are, the work you do, and the people around you, contentment follows. These poems are gentle reminders to take a moment, look around, and see the beauty and kindness already in your life.
We hope these short poems bring a smile to your face and peace to your heart. Life moves fast, but happiness is always close by, if we take the time to notice it.
Pursuit of Happiness
Half the world is on the wrong scent
in the pursuit of happiness.
They think it consists in having and getting,
and in being served by others.
It consists in giving and in serving others.
Drummond’s poem Pursuit of Happiness reminds us that many people chase happiness in the wrong places. They believe joy comes from gaining more—more wealth, more possessions, more recognition. But true happiness isn’t found in what we receive; it’s found in what we give. When we serve others, when we share kindness and love, we experience a joy that no material thing can provide. Happiness isn’t about being served—it’s about serving. When we shift our focus from ourselves to helping others, we discover a deeper, more fulfilling happiness that lasts.
Happiness Within
Happiness isn’t wealth or fame,
It’s not found in a worldly name.
But deep inside, it grows so bright,
With gratitude, it brings delight.
It’s peace that calms, a heart at rest,
A life with purpose—truly blessed.
It’s kindness shared, a joyful way,
That lifts us up each passing day.
Happiness Grows
Happiness grows when we take the time,
To see life's gifts,both big and small signs.
Not in wealth or things that fade,
But in love and faith displayed.
A thankful heart, a joyful way,
Gratitude shining every day.
With kindness shared and peace inside,
Happiness will grow and guide.
Also find thoughts on being happy in these pages:
- Poems About Being Happy
- Poems About Laughter
- Poems About Contentment
- Poems About Joy
- Smile Poems
Happiness Beyond the Storm
When life feels heavy, skies turn gray,
And hope seems lost along the way,
Remember this: the storm will cease,
And in its wake, you'll find your peace.
Through trials tough, your strength will grow,
A brighter path begins to show.
Resilience builds a joy that's true,
For happiness lives inside of you.
Happiness Quotes
Finding Happiness in Hard Times
When challenges rise and times are tough,
It’s easy to feel like you’ve had enough.
But happiness comes when we choose to see,
The strength we gain from each adversity.
A grateful heart, a hopeful mind,
Brings peace and joy of a lasting kind.
With faith to guide and love so true,
Happiness will shine through you.
Act Of Happiness
Let us never forget that an act of goodness
is of itself an act of happiness.
No reward coming after the event
can compare with the sweet reward
that went with it.
Let your task be to render yourself worthy of love,
and this even more for your own happiness
than for that of another’s.
Kindness Poems
H A P P I N E S S
Holds the key to a joyful way,
Always brightens the darkest day.
Patience helps it grow and bloom,
Positive thoughts will clear the gloom.
In every moment, big or small,
Never forget, it’s a choice for all.
Encourage others, spread the cheer,
Share a smile to draw it near.
See the good, a true secret to happiness.
Happiness Is When
Happiness is our heritage when
Faith becomes our constant companion;
Self-discipline our tireless teacher;
Integrity our competent coach;
Truth our trusted tutor;
Discernment our careful critic;
Optimism our able advisor;
Goodness our gifted guide;
Beauty our infallible inspiration;
And love our blissful benediction.
William Arthur Ward’s poem Happiness Is When teaches that true happiness isn’t something we stumble upon—it’s built through the values we live by. When faith is at the center of our lives, it provides a strong foundation for joy. Discipline helps us grow, integrity keeps us on the right path, and truth guides our decisions. Discernment helps us make wise choices, while optimism lifts our spirits. When we embrace goodness, appreciate beauty, and lead with love, we experience a happiness that is deep and lasting. True joy isn’t found in fleeting pleasures but in the way we live each day with purpose, kindness, and faith.
Your Own Making
Bear in mind that your happiness or your misery
is very much of your own making.
You cannot create spiritual sunlight any more than
you can create the morning star;
but you can put your soul where Christ is shining.
Keep a clean conscience.
Keep a good stock of God's promises within reach.
Keep a nightingale of hope in your soul that
can sing away the dark hours when they do come.
Positive Poems
Make Your Happiness
When you feel, life isn't true
Keep in mind, life's truth is you.
You make your path, from here to there.
It's up to you, to dream and care.
No one else can, make you happy.
So get right on it, and make it snappy.
Life's too short, to waste your day.
I truly hope, you get out and celebrate today!
Happiness Through Faith
When burdens weigh and doubts arise,
Lift your heart to the open skies.
In prayer, you'll find a gentle rest,
With God, you're held, forever blessed.
Faith lights the way when shadows fall,
His love and peace outshine them all.
True happiness, both pure and deep,
Is found in promises He will keep.
Catherine Pulsifer’s poem Happiness Through Faith reminds us that true happiness isn’t found in worldly things but in trusting God. When life feels heavy and doubts creep in, turning to Him in prayer brings peace and comfort. Faith gives us strength, guiding us through life’s challenges, just like a light shining in the darkness. God’s love is constant, His promises unshakable, and in Him, we find lasting joy. No matter what we face, when we put our trust in Him, we are never alone—our hearts can rest, knowing we are truly blessed.
The Clown’s Prayer
As I stumble through this life,
Help me create more laughter than tears,
Dispense more happiness than gloom,
Spread more cheer than despair.
Never let me become so indifferent,
That I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of the child.
Or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.
Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people,
Make them feel happy, and forget momentarily,
all the unpleasantness in their lives.
And in my final moment, may I hear you whisper:
When you made my people smile, you made me smile.
Life Journey Poems
Happiness We Seek
Happiness is what we’re all chasing,
Yet so few find it, life feels racing.
It’s not in riches or things we own,
But in kindness and love that we’ve shown.
A smile, a laugh, a heart that’s light,
These are the things that make life bright.
Happiness grows when we choose to share,
It’s always found when we truly care.
Road To Happiness
The road to daily happiness
Is not so hard to find,
You walk ahead serenely
And leave your cares behind.
A word of cheer upon your lips
A ready hand to give,
A smiling face, a snatch of song
Will help you well to live.
The love you give to others
The good that you may do,
The helping hand you proffer
Will bring happiness to you.
The road to daily happiness
Is not so hard to find,
It's what you do for others
That brings true peace of mind.
Grenville Kleiser’s poem Road to Happiness reminds us that true happiness isn’t found in worrying about ourselves but in how we treat others. Each day, we have the choice to walk forward with a positive attitude, letting go of unnecessary worries. A kind word, a helping hand, and a smile can brighten not only our own day but also the lives of those around us. When we focus on giving love, offering kindness, and doing good for others, we discover a deep and lasting happiness. The key to true joy isn’t in what we get but in what we give. By living with kindness and generosity, we find the peace and happiness that makes life meaningful.
The Right Road
I have lost the road to happiness,
Does any one know it, pray?
I was dwelling there when the morn was fair,
But somehow I wandered away.
I saw rare treasures in scenes of pleasures,
I ran to pursue them, when lo!
I had lost the path to happiness,
And knew not whither to go.
I have lost the way to happiness,
O, who will lead me back?
Turn off from the highway of selfishness
To the right, up duty's track.
Keep straight along, and you can't go wrong;
For as sure as you live, I say,
The fair lost fields of happiness
Can only be found that way.
Life Is Too Short Poems
Live Each Hour
I live each hour
As I find it.
This hour is lovely -
Those behind it
Were sometimes minus
Warm smiles or bliss
But I'm unconcerned;
I'll never miss,
Or waste time over,
What-might-have-beens,
Happiness is now
When the hour begins.
What Good Is A
I can tell you, one true thing,
What good is winter,if there is no spring?
I can tell you, another great thing,
What good is a voice, if you will not sing?
I can tell you, one more thing,
What good is a swing, if the children they won't bring?
There are many things in this world,
That are made better by another.
So next time you are feeling blue,
Find your other, and see it through.
To Live Content
To live content with small means;
To seek elegance rather than luxury,
And refinement rather than fashion,
To be worthy, not respectable,
And wealthy, not rich;
To study hard, think quietly,
Talk gently, act frankly,
To listen to stars and birds,
To babes and sages,
With open heart,
To bear all cheerfully,
To all bravely await occasions,
Hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual unbidden
And unconscious grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.
Gratitude Poems
If You Can
If you can to some others give
A happy hour,
It will be happiness for you,
A fragrant flower.
Poor Sort Of Happiness
It is only a poor sort of happiness that could ever come
By caring very much about our own narrow pleasures.
We can only have the highest happiness by having wide thoughts,
And much feeling for the rest of the world,
As well as ourselves;
And this sort of happiness often brings so much pain with it
That we can only tell it from pain by its being what
We would choose before everything else,
Because our souls see it is good.
George Eliot’s poem Poor Sort of Happiness teaches that true happiness isn’t found in selfish desires or fleeting pleasures. If we only focus on ourselves, the joy we experience will be shallow and temporary. Instead, the greatest happiness comes when we think beyond ourselves, caring deeply for others and the world around us. This kind of happiness isn’t always easy—it often comes with struggles, heartache, and sacrifice. Yet, despite the challenges, it is the kind of joy we would still choose, because deep down, our souls recognize it as good. When we give, love, and live with compassion, we experience a happiness that is richer and more meaningful than anything self-centered living could ever bring.
Looking For Happiness
Many people are looking for
Happiness behind any door
Happiness they want to find
Happiness of any kind.
Happiness is not something outside
It is an attitude you can provide
Your happiness is not down the road
And, it doesn't mean an easy load.
Happiness is found in you
How you look at life and what you do
You decide each day, you see
How happy you will be?
Happiness
All high happiness has in it some element of love;
all love contains a desire for peace.
One immediate effect of new happiness is to make us
turn toward the past with a wish to straighten out its difficulties,
heal its breaches and forgive its wrongs.
Giving Poems
Human Happiness
I hold that human happiness,
If built on self, is nothing worth
That bliss translated means to bless
Some other denizen of earth......
Read the complete poem, The Human Happiness Poem
Fragments of Happiness
Happiness is like a crystal,
Fair and exquisite and clear,
Broken in a million pieces,
Shattered, scattered far and near.
Now and then along life's pathway,
Lo! some shining fragments fall;
But there are so many pieces
No one ever finds them all.....
Read the complete poem, Fragments of Happiness
Let Us Do Good
Let us do good. How sweet the thought,
We have the wretched blest —
Threw smiles upon a clouded brow,
And sunshine in the breast ......
Read the complete poem, Let Us Do Good
The Power of a Smile
Smile, and the world smiles with you,
Knock and you go alone;
For the cheerful grin
Will let you in
Where the kicker is never known.....
Read the complete poem, The Power Of A Smile
Where Is Happiness
A job, a car, a house, or two
Are they the things that bring happiness to you?
Where do I find this happiness thing?
Can someone to me it bring......
Read the complete poem, Where Is Happiness
The Roads of Happiness
The roads of happiness are not
The selfish roads of pleasure seeking,
Where cheeks are flushed with haste and hot
And none has time for kindly speaking.
But they're the roads where lovers stray,
Where wives and husbands walk together
And children romp along the way
Whenever it is pleasant weather.....
Read the complete poem, The Roads of Happiness
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Conclusion
Happiness is not something we wait for. It is something we can find right where we are. Through faith, gratitude, and a heart open to others, joy grows quietly and steadily. These poems remind us that true happiness often comes in simple ways: a kind word, a loving act, or a moment of peace. Let us not chase after what we think will make us happy, but instead, pause and be thankful for the blessings already in our lives. As you reflect on the words shared here, may your heart be lifted and your days filled with greater joy.
More Inspirational Poems to Encourage & Motivate
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about finding and maintaining happiness, answered with thoughtful insights.
How can poems help me feel happier?
Poetry has a unique way of capturing emotions and experiences, offering readers a sense of connection and comfort. By reading poems about happiness, you engage with language that reflects positive feelings, gratitude, and joy. This can help shift your mindset, remind you of life's beauty, and encourage you to focus on the positive aspects of your life.
Can poems about happiness improve my mood?
Yes, reading poems that emphasize happiness, gratitude, and positivity can help elevate your mood. Just as music or art can influence how you feel, poetry’s rhythm, language, and imagery have a calming or uplifting effect, providing a temporary escape or a renewed perspective on life’s challenges.
Can reading poems about happiness reduce stress?
Yes, reading poetry, especially about positive emotions like happiness, can have a therapeutic effect. Poetry allows for mindful reflection, giving you space to process emotions in a healthy way. Engaging with poems that focus on joy, peace, and contentment can promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and provide a mental break from stress.
Do happiness poems focus on personal or universal joy?
Happiness poems often touch on both personal and universal joy. Some poems highlight individual moments of happiness, such as a walk through nature or the feeling of contentment in solitude, while others explore broader, more universal themes like love, connection, or spiritual fulfillment, which resonate with a wide audience.
How can I use poetry to cultivate a more positive mindset?
To cultivate a positive mindset, you can incorporate reading poetry into your daily routine. Choose poems that emphasize gratitude, mindfulness, and joy, and reflect on how they resonate with your own experiences. Writing your own poems about happiness can also be a powerful exercise in self-reflection, helping you focus on the positive aspects of life and reinforce a habit of optimism.
Are there any copyright restrictions on these poems?
Yes, all of our poems are copyrighted. However, if you wish to use one of our poems for personal use you have our permission and they are free to use. However, if the poems are for commercial use please contact us for guidelines and permission.
Can I submit a poem about happiness to be published:
Yes, see our submission guidelines, how to submit, and the review process on our submit a poem page.