Poems About Happiness For All Occasions

Happiness is fleeting, fickle, and precious. This elusiveness means that moments of true happiness often remain affixed in our minds to stay beautiful and be cherished forever. Happiness is complex, and we don’t talk about it often. Luckily, we have refined our ability to share and experience our emotions through artistic expression. Poetry is a unique, lyrical way to share and analyze complex emotions such as happiness.

Innermost Happiness 

by Ernestine Northover

Let's go find that great blue yonder,

Far away from noise and rush,

A place where one can sit and ponder,

Silently, in a cocoon of hush.

With solitude, to rest one's senses,

Some time to grasp what life's about,

To knock down all those rigid fences,

And let your wildest thoughts fly out.

Allow for all your hopes to wander,

Into dreams that calm the mind,

And use the time in that great blue yonder,

Your innermost happiness to find.

Sometimes, your body already knows what it needs. You just need time to be alone and process your emotions. Relaxing and freeing our minds from the stresses of the daily grind is key to mental health in the long run. Ernestine Northover's lyrical poem describes this process in an uplifting, feel-good read.

You Need Not Leave Your Room 

by Franz Kafka

You need not leave your room.

Remain seated at your table

and listen. You need not even listen;

simply wait; just be quiet, still, solitary.

The world will freely offer

itself to you to be unmasked.

It has no choice; it will roll

in ecstasy at your feet.

This exquisite poem by Franz Kafka also delves into the power of calm and contemplation to usher in a sense of peace and happiness.

Such Is the Force of Happiness

by Emily Dickinson

Such is the Force of Happiness —

The Least — can lift a Ton

Assisted by its stimulus —

Who Misery — sustain —

No Sinew can afford —

The Cargo of Themselves —

Too infinite for Consciousness'

Slow capabilities.

Happiness has the power to invigorate and motivate you to great feats. Emily Dickinson explains in this short poem that it can help you to 'lift a ton,' and, conversely, that discontent can make you feel too heavy even to lift yourself. Happiness is what fuels our desire to live.

Happiness

by Jayne Kenyon

There's just no accounting for happiness,

or the way it turns up like a prodigal

who comes back to the dust at your feet

having squandered a fortune far away.

And how can you not forgive?

You make a feast in honor of what

was lost, and take from its place the finest

garment, which you saved for an occasion

you could not imagine, and you weep night and day

to know that you were not abandoned,

that happiness saved its most extreme form for you alone.

No, happiness is the uncle you never

knew about, who flies a single-engine plane

onto the grassy landing strip, hitchhikes

into town, and inquires at every door

until he finds you asleep midafternoon

as you so often are during the unmerciful

hours of your despair.

It comes to the monk in his cell.

It comes to the woman sweeping the street

with a birch broom, to the child

whose mother has passed out from drink.

It comes to the lover, to the dog chewing

a sock, to the pusher, to the basket maker,

and to the clerk stacking cans of carrots in the night.

It even comes to the boulder

in the perpetual shade of pine barrens,

to rain falling on the open sea,

to the wineglass, weary of holding wine.

Happiness is often not logical or fair. It is, instead, a state of mind and a style of thought that can occur without warning or reason.

Help Yourself To Happiness 

by Helen Steiner Rice

Everybody, everywhere seeks happiness, it's true,

But finding it and keeping it seems difficult to do.

Difficult because we think that happiness is found

Only in the places where wealth and fame abound. And so we go on searching in palaces of pleasure

Seeking recognition and monetary treasure,

Unaware that happiness is just a state of mind

Within the reach of everyone who takes time to be kind.

For in making others happy, we will be happy, too.

For the happiness you give away returns to shine on you.

In the vein of serving others, this Irish Blessing is an uncomplicated, lovely wish for happiness and joy.

Happiness is a feeling that can be attained by placing our focus outside of ourselves rather than by trying to appease base wants. We are communal creatures and serve both ourselves and others when we act as such.

An Irish Blessing

I wish you health,

I wish you well and happiness galore.

I wish you luck for you and friends.

What could I wish you more?

May your joys be as deep as the oceans,

Your troubles as light as its foam.

And may you find

Sweet peace of mind

Wherever you may roam.

A blessing was said to be bestowed upon the receiver of this dedication. In every culture, time, and place, the belief in the power of positive thought for ourselves and others remains. Like the Irish, those faced with great tragedy have long found solace in the positive thoughts cultivated within family and community.

The Happy Virus

by Hafiz

I caught the happy virus last night

When I was out singing beneath the stars.

It is remarkably contagious -

So kiss me.

Happiness is not ours to control at times. It is playfully referred to as a virus that can strike without warning, and infect those with whom it comes into contact.

Lines Depicting Simple Happiness

by Peter Gizzi

The shine on her buckle took precedence in sun

Her shine, I should say, could take me anywhere

It feels right to be up this close in tight wind

It feels right to notice all the shiny things about you

About you, there is nothing I wouldn't want to know

With you nothing is simple, yet nothing is simpler

About you, many good things come into relation

I think of proofs and grammar, vowel sounds, like

A is for knee socks, E for panties

I is for buttondown, O the blouse you wear

U is for hair clip, and Y your tight skirt

The music picks up again; I am the man I hope to be

The bright air hangs freely near your newly cut hair

It is so easy now to see gravity at work in your face

Easy to understand time, that dark process

To accept it as a beautiful process, your face

Love can cause us to feel great joy, especially when we're caught in the first throes of it in youth. Yet, love can grow in profundity well beyond outer appearances and young infatuations.

Ode To Happiness 

by Keanu Reeves

Half-sentences, half-utterances searching in the past,

grappling, groping, never last.

In my body, in my heart, and in my mind,

but not on my tongue!

And so my song remains unsung.

I draw a hot sorrow bath

In my despair room

With a misery candle burning

I wash my hair with regret shampoo

After cleaning myself with pain soap

I dry myself with my gorgeous white

One hundred percent and it will never change towel

Then smooth on my I don't deserve lotion

And I hate myself face cream

Then I put on my alone again silk pajamas

And go to sleep

When the hue has gone blue

And you can't quite grin and bear it

Let this word picture remind you

It can always be worse.

Depression is probably the best indicator that happiness is lacking in our lives. Life isn't easy, and we don't always allow ourselves the proper time to process loss or tragedy. Keanu Reeves lost many loved ones in his life, and it left a mark on him that made happiness much more difficult to retain. Keanu wrote this poem on a whim for a friend. When she reworked it and sent it back as a gift, he decided to publish it. In 2011, only 4000 copies of the book Ode to Happiness were produced. For many, it is a powerful testimony that the facts of our lives need not be the truth of our lives, and happiness need not be lost forever.

Therapy Can Help You Find Happiness In Your Life

Maintaining your mental health and overall happiness can be challenging. If you are having trouble finding joy in your life, talking to a therapist can help.

Online therapy has many benefits for people with depression. Depression can make it difficult to interact with others or find the motivation to get out of bed. With online therapy through BetterHelp, you can reach your therapist from the comfort of your home. You can chat via phone,  text, or video with a licensed counselor. You can reach out anytime, too, and your counselor will get back to you as soon as possible. 

Research shows that online therapy can be a valuable tool for those with depression, anxiety, or other intrusive thoughts. A study published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry found that internet-based therapy significantly improved symptoms in patients struggling with depression. If you’re ready to get started, contact a BetterHelp therapist to learn more.

Counselor Reviews

"I have come a long way. With the help of Alexis, I have accomplished things I thought I'd never do. I am glad I did this, it has benefited me so much. With the guidance and encouragement of Alexis, I am more confident in myself, and I see a clear path to success and happiness. I have learned to control myself and not doubt myself. It is hard to let go, but I know I will be fine, and if I need it, she will still be here for me. Thank you, Alexis, you have truly helped me change my life. I am so grateful. I wish you the best!"

"I've worked with Jamie for a number of months, and he's helped me with everything that life has thrown my way. Difficulty in work, my relationship, and other stresses that I've struggled to navigate by myself. He listens, and he helps. I always feel validated and supported. He gives me tools and perspectives that have made a big difference in my overall happiness."

Takeaway

Poems about happiness can help us express how we feel and understand more about what makes happiness so complex. While these poems can be motivating, they aren’t always enough. Life can be rough, but luckily you don't have to face it alone. If you think talking to a therapist can help, reach out to BetterHelp to get started with online therapy.