Lessons of Wisdom
This section features poems that impart timeless lessons and insights about life, encouraging readers to reflect on the principles of wisdom.
by William Arthur Ward
Wisdom teaches:
The fruits of silence;
The blessings of health;
The rewards of self-discipline;
The satisfaction of achievement;
The responsibility of power;
The beauty of nature;
The miracle of love;
The meaning of friendship;
The privilege of prayer;
The power of faith;
The joy of sharing;
The treasure of integrity.
Poet: Catherine Pulsifer
In the creases of an aging face,
Lie lessons learned, mistakes embraced,
Each choice a stone along the way,
That paved the path to wiser days.
Through missteps taken, truth unfolds,
In every scar, a story told,
We find in age, a tempered view,
Where wisdom’s roots in trials grew.
The past, a mirror, clear yet kind,
Reflects the growth we’ve come to find,
And in the quiet of the years,
Wisdom blooms through joys and tears.
So let the years, with steady hand,
Weave wisdom’s thread in shifting sand,
For in each line, and every trace,
We find the grace of wisdom’s face.
Related: Poems on Life Lessons
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Understanding and Self-Discovery
Here, you'll find poems that explore the journey of self-awareness, emphasizing the importance of understanding oneself and the world around us.
Poet: Catherine Pulsifer, © 2012
Easy is as easy does,
Who hasn't heard that phrase?
But what really does that mean,
If you don't do, easy never finds the way?
There are so many different ways,
That messages are tangled in.
Find a quote or poem you like,
Then make sense of what is says.
Sometimes you may not understand,
But then there will be times you do.
And those times are when we truly benefit,
And bring the message into view.
Wisdom finds us in many ways,
It's up to us to allow it to help.
Many people benefit from these thoughts,
And it's a way to allow yourself to self-help.
Wisdom Quotes
Arabian Proverb
Men are four:
He who knows, and knows he knows
He is wise - follow him.
He who knows, and knows not he knows
He is asleep - wake him.
He who knows not, and knows not he knows not -
He is a fool - shun him.
He who knows not, and knows he knows not -
He is a child - teach him.
Related: Desiderata Poem
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Practical Wisdom
These poems offer actionable advice and insights, guiding readers on how to apply wisdom in everyday situations for better decision-making.
Poet: Lorain McLain
"Oh, give me fame!" a youth once cried
When touched by Fortune's wand,
"A fame that shines from shore to shore
And is known in every land,
And I will never ask again
Or seek more from thy hand."
Through years he grew and grew in fame
A lawyer great was he,
That wielded well the legal power
For gain and petty fee
Until bound down by greed of gain,
No longer was he free.
"Oh! give me power," an artist cried,
"To paint with steady hand
A picture that shall far excel
All others in the land,
And I shall have the riches all
That aught could e'er demand."
He painted then a picture true;
Folks marveled at the deed.
He soon won fame and wealth and power.
But, seized upon by greed,
All slipped away — power, wealth, and fame —
And left him sore in need.
"Oh! give me power to rule the land,
To sway affairs of state,
And I'll have wealth and power and fame,
And will be truly great,
And never, never will deplore
Or wish to change my fate."
Time passed, and power was given him;
Of state he held the rein,
Until upon his conscience clear
Was left full many a stain,
For ah! so many deeds of shame
He did alone for gain.
"Oh! give me wealth, on every hand
To gain me thousand fold;
Take fame, take power, take honor all,
But give me yellow gold.
My heart will be as light and free
As was the gods of old."
Then wealth was given to the youth;
Without his least endeavor,
It quickly gained a thousandfold.
Wealth proved a powerful lever
That robbed the youth of honor bright
And doomed his soul forever.
"Oh! give me wisdom, grace, and peace,
A heart of purity,
An honest word that's always good
For any surety,
And I will always live content
Throughout futurity."
The youth was given wisdom grand
And purity of thought;
Then honor came, with fame and wealth
And glory all unsought.
Yet he despised the baser things,
For which the weaker sought.
O youth, choose wisdom while you may;
Let those who will choose pelf.
Contentment's yours with fame assured,
And these alone are wealth;
While conscience clear will loud proclaim
You are an honor to yourself.
Poems About Knowledge
Poet: Edward Young
Be wise today; ’tis madness to defer;
Next day the fatal precedent will plead;
Thus on, till wisdom is pushed out of life.
Procrastination is the thief of time;
Year after year it steals, till all are fled.
And to the mercies of a moment leaves
The vast concerns of an eternal scene.
Related: Life Choices Poems
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The Nature of Wisdom
This collection delves into the essence of wisdom itself, exploring its qualities and how it manifests in our lives and experiences.
Poet Unknown
If wisdom's ways you'd wisely seek.
Five things observe with care:
Of whom you speak, to whom you speak,
And how, and when, and where.
Poems About Education
Poet: Patience Strong
If you stand very still in the heart of a wood -
you will hear many wonderful things -
The snap of a twig and the wind in the trees
and the whirr of invisible wings...
If you stand very still in the turmoil of life -
and you wait for the voice from within -
you'll be led down the quiet ways of wisdom and peace -
in a mad world of chaos and din...
If you stand very still and you hold to your faith -
you will get all the help that you ask -
You will draw from the Silence the things that you need -
Hope and courage, and strength for your task.
Related: The Train Of Life Poem
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Wisdom Through Adversity
Poems in this section highlight the growth and strength that come from facing challenges, showcasing how hardship can lead to deeper wisdom.
Poet: Catherine Pulsifer
My dear, the road is often rough,
With trials that will test your soul,
But wisdom lies in knowing this —
It’s not the fall, but how you grow.
When storms arise and skies are gray,
And every step feels like a weight,
Remember, strength is born of fire,
And grace will guide you through the fate.
Life’s hardships carve the deepest lines,
But in those grooves, resilience blooms,
For every tear that wets the soil,
A flower rises from the gloom.
So hold your head with quiet pride,
In every storm, find your own pace,
For wisdom whispers in the dark —
You’ll rise again, with strength and grace.
Adversity Quotes
Poet: William Arthur Ward
If you are wise, you will forget yourself into greatness.
Forget your rights, but remember your responsibilities.
Forget your inconveniences, but remember your blessings.
Forget your own accomplishments, but remember your debts to others.
Forget your privileges, but remember your obligations.
Follow the examples of Florence Nightingale,
of Albert Schweitzer, of Abraham Lincoln, of Tom Dooley, and forget yourself into greatness.
If you are wise, you will empty yourself into adventure.
Remember the words of General Douglas MacArthur:
"There is no security on this earth. There is only opportunity."
Empty your days of the search for security; fill them with a passion for service.
Empty your hours of the ambition for recognition; fill them with the aspiration for achievement.
Empty your moments of the need for entertainment; fill them with the quest for creativity.
If you are wise, you will lose yourself into immortality.
Lose your cynicism. Lose your doubts. Lose your fears. Lose your anxiety. Lose your unbelief.
Remember these truths: A person must soon forget himself to be long remembered.
He must empty himself in order to discover a fuller self. He must lose himself to find himself.
Forget yourself into greatness. Empty yourself into adventure. Lose yourself into immortality.
Related: Adversity Poems
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Positive Thought About Obtaining Wisdom
This section emphasizes the value of cultivating a positive mindset towards learning and growth, celebrating the pursuit of wisdom as a lifelong journey.
Forget, Believe, Hope
Author Unknown
A man reaching 70 usually has achieved most of such philosophy and wisdom as is likely to be his. Most of life's experiences have by then touched him and made their mark upon him. He has had time to think, opportunity to feel, leisure to reflect. Such men, if natively wise, are worth listening to.
Such a man is Peter Witt of Cleveland, a worker points out. He is one of those men of whom every town fortunately has one or two, who have devoted a great deal of time and thought to the affairs of men, and to the general well-being, as well as to their own.
"Forget yesterday, believe in today, hope for tomorrow," says Witt. "Live your life in your own way, wholly unmindful of what others think or say.
"Forgetting yesterday means no worrying about the past. What's done cannot be undone."
"Believing in today gets the most out of the present. It is the only thing we can be sure of."
"Hoping for tomorrow is what makes for progress, even though most of the dreams all born of hope, never come true."
Wise words, and a man who has reached at 70 so simple and so sensible a point of view has not lived in vain, Why does it take most of us so long to achieve wisdom as crystal-clear and eminently sane as that?
