77 Poems about Pride to Improve Self-Confidence
Pride is a complex emotion that can either lead to arrogance or self-confidence.
Through the use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and personal narratives, poets have explored the different dimensions of pride.
In this collection, we have gathered a range of pride poems that explore the positive aspects of pride, promoting self-love and acceptance.
These poems about pride give readers a chance to reflect on their own experiences with pride and to find inspiration in the words of great poets.
Famous Poems about Pride
In the famous pride poems poets have explored the concept of pride in their work. From the hubris of ancient gods to the righteous pride of modern activists, these poems celebrate and critique the power of pride in human experience.
1. Vanity and Pride
by Mart Taylor
My rhyme is of two little weeds, called Vanity and Pride,
That in the garden of our hearts are ever side by side.
They are weeds of very sudden growth, and, getting once a start,
They choke the flowers that otherwise would beautify the heart.
They flourish in all seasons, and thrive in every clime.
They were sown in Eden’s garden, and will perish but with time.
They are weeds that are productive of but very little good,
And ’tis said the breath of flattery supplies them both with food.
2. Pride
by Dorsey Baker
Pride
I don’t wanna be
what you are trying to make me
Pride
I don’t wanna go
where you are trying to take me
Pride
you are just wasting your time
I don’t wanna get
on that high horse
take that ride
Pride
you don’t know the pain I’ve felt
Pride you don’t know the tears I’ve cried
Pride if you think
you can seduce me
you are just wasting your time
pride you aint
got no power over me
Pride if you think
you can seduce me
you are just wasting your time!
3. The President Who Does It All
by Amos Russel Wells
The President Who Does It All,
A very egotistic elf,
Is blind to what the rest can do,
Is mucilaged upon himself.
Over the whole committee work
He manages somehow to sprawl,
And runs the whole society—
The President Who Does It All.
The President Who Does It All
Is very certain, in his pride,
The whole society would stop
If he, perchance, were laid aside.
He meddles with the least details,
He dictates all things, great and small;
He’s It, he’d have you understand—
The President Who Does It All.
The President Who Does It All
Will get mad and resign some day,
And find, to his intense surprise,
The other members glad and gay.
He’ll see the brisk society
Spring up as if released from thrall,
And go rejoicing on, without
The President Who Does It All.
4. From “Pride and Humility”
by Ruby Archer
“Father, see! One stalk bends low,
With a look ashamed,
As if having naught to show
For the life it claimed.
“But this other, brave and proud,
Boldly greets the sun.
I can hear it boast aloud,
‘See how well I’ve done!'”
Then the father gathered two,
Silent all the while,
Holding both the heads to view
With a meaning smile.
To the boy the truth was plain.
Cried he with a laugh:
“Why, the bent is bowed with grain,
And the proud—is chaff!”
5. Loss and Gain
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
When I compare
What I have lost with what I have gained,
What I have missed with what attained,
Little room do I find for pride.
I am aware
How many days have been idly spent;
How like an arrow the good intent
Has fallen short or been turned aside.
But who shall dare
To measure loss and gain in this wise?
Defeat may be victory in disguise;
The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.
6. Independence
by Amos Russel Wells
I went to the palace
A wonderful thing
I went to the palace
Called by the King
A herald would lead me
But fool in my pride
I sneered at his offer
And waved him aside
How large was the palace
How loftily grand
What vistas of chambers
On every hand!
I wandered and wandered,
All proud and alone;
I wandered and wandered
But found not the Throne
And still as I wander
Ah wearisome thing
I am in the King’s palace
But far from the King
7. The Dainty Dog
by Amos Russel Wells
A dainty dog had chanced to note
The breakfast of a greedy goat,—
Half-rotten grass, a shocking pile.
“Fie!” said the dog; “what wretched style!
Good taste demands, you clownish beast,
A dish to eat from, at the least.
And as for food, that garbage foul
Would even make a camel scowl,
Would make a very buzzard groan,
Would —” Here the goat laid bare a hone,
Which when our dainty dog had spied,
“Your pardon, friend!” the critic cried;
“I’m quite near-sighted, neighbor mine.
I see your meal is fair and fine.
Invite me, pray, with you to dine!”
8. The Butterfly and ……The Bee
by William Lisle Bowles
Me thought I heard a butterfly
Say to a laboring bee;
“Thou hast no colors of the sky
On painted wings like me.”
“Poor child of vanity! those dyes,
And colors bright and rare,”
With mild reproof, the bee replies,
“Are all beneath my care.”
“Content I toil from morn till eve,
And, scorning idleness,
To tribes of gaudy sloth I leave
The vanity of dress.”
9. The City’s Love
by Claude McKay
For one brief golden moment rare like wine,
The gracious city swept across the line;
Oblivious of the color of my skin,
Forgetting that I was an alien guest,
She bent to me, my hostile heart to win,
Caught me in passion to her pillowy breast;
The great, proud city, seized with a strange love,
Bowed down for one flame hour my pride to prove.
Funny Poems about Pride
Funny interesting poems about pride can help us laugh at ourselves and let go of our egos. From witty one-liners to playful rhymes, these poems remind us not to take ourselves too seriously.
1. Conceit
Oh! have you all the beauty youth e’er knew
That you’re so vain?
Less pride might serve, if even it were true;
And, you might gain
By humbler show of graces you possess;
The haughty bearing makes the charm the less.
Nor is your beauty everything to praise;
Although your glass
Reflect so fair a vision to your gaze,
And, as you pass,
A form, with something of patrician air;
Yet hath the world some faces quite as fair.
And eyes as blue, and ringlets just as curled,
And lips of rose;—
You have not all the beauty in the world,
As you suppose:
And if you had,—’tis easy to be seen
What beauty loses with so proud a mien!
2. Wolsey’s Farewell to his Greatness
by John Fletcher
Farewell! a long farewell, to all my greatness!
This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hopes; to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honours thick upon him;
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,
And then he falls, as I do. I have ventured,
Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,
This many summers in a sea of glory,
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me and now has left me,
Weary and old with service, to the mercy
Of a rude stream, that must forever hide me.
Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye:
I feel my heart new opened. O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes’ favours!
There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to,
That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,
More pangs and fears than wars or women have:
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again.
3. Remember The Day
by Remember the day
Apron strings loosed, untied
as maternal voices faltered and cried
Remember the day
When a soprano voice lost its elan
and a boy became a man
Remember the day
Peer pressure would not hide
and diffidence was replaced with pride
Remember the day
Desire, with warm whispers heard
questions, answered with just three words
Remember the day
Filled with joy and love
a union blessed from above
Remember the day
Holding a first-born, so wee
as two self-absorbed, became three
Remember the day
Trust was born-a-new
a changed life came into view
Remember the day
Genesis as a work of art
with gifts to share and impart
Remember the day
4. Remains
by Liam Mcdaid
Revenge sweet turning with hate
a brother rises striking blows
landing hits brother in wicked deeds
evilness within man’s own soul
Cruelty crawling inside desires
suffering greed of nations, they plea
Rise up against nations man at war
tearing asunder God’s creation
People slowly murdering loveless
Pride a sinful act of violence
laced with pain destroying pure love
everything that once stood out housed peace
so fine cut beautiful, good sharing
caring free, in this one, big show rolls
Keeps turning, the wheel of hope
whom will speak, as we all become part
of his heavenly dust in the end
of burning remains of hell’s fire
5. Wear Your Poppy with Pride
by Patricia Denise Newman
Honour the men that died and wear your poppy with pride
Honour the girls that worked so hard and wear your poppy with pride
Honour those that survived conflict and wear your poppy with pride
For all these that gave us our freedom so wear your poppy with pride
Wear your poppy with pride as you go on your way
Look around you at the peace for which others gave their day
Teach your children the reason why we commemorate every year
This special November 11th with memories we hold dear
Support the Royal British Legion and wear your poppy with pride
Helping those service men and women injured as they tried
To keep and uphold the hard won peace that we enjoy today
Wear your poppy with pride on this Remembrance Day
6. Intense Feeling
by Dion Bess
With each line my soul drift away.
Heart still aching so each night I pray.
Life consume with pain veins fill with rage.
Mind still enslave.
Yet still standing tall until you put me in my grave.
Overwhelm with pride so i refuse to die.
So each night I am (smoking) levitating through the sky.
Conquer love can’t you see the fire in my eyes.
Natural born leader but a king with you by my side.
Speaking the truth not uttering one lie.
Still feeling pain but my heart will never die.
Cause in your arms I will always be alive.
Making your pain mine the new Bonnie and Clyde
Inspirational Poems about Pride
Explore the power of inspirational pride poems through inspiring poetry that celebrates self-love, dignity, and self-respect. These poems can inspire us to pursue our dreams with determination.
1. A Choice
by Ninette Carey
Peace again rules My Day
Comforting…. in a pleasant light hearted way
Nature draws me near
Banishing all my fear
Thank You Lord
For giving me Light
Holding me Dear through the Night
It is a Choice that we make
A Dream this Love must not forsake
Take my hand and come with me
There is nothing if you follow the dark
Eventually you become the mark
It is never too late to swallow your pride
Humble is a lasting stride…..
2. The Pessimist’s Delight
by L Milton Hankins
Gray days come in somber packages
Wrapped with foggy-shaded bows
Perfect venues for lonely pessimists
Wallowing in life’s unfortunate throes.
Sadly, some folks enjoy their despair
They like to spread it far and wide
Dragging someone else into their muck
Seems to elevate their waning self-pride.
How easy it is to transfer self-flagellation
To an enemy who would be most helpful
By tearing them down before their peers
Makes the loser seem more successful.
Truth is, no one ever wins a prize
Elevating oneself at another’s expense
For there is absolutely nothing to gain
Betraying one’s own common sense.
3. Spring Cleaning
by Spring Cleaning
Springtime is a chance to start your life anew,
Dust off your pride and change your attitude.
Bring forth the hidden treasures, of your heart,
Don’t worry about the past that tore you apart.
Let the fresh air cleanse your soul, body and mind,
Release the inhibitions that have kept you blind.
Love yourself, for who you are and what you can do,
Never worry about what others think, it all about you.
Embrace the earth elements and the comfort they bring,
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the results, of your spring cleaning.
4. Sundown in Paradise
by James Marshall Goff
My blessing basket is heavy with heaven’s gifts,
Tomatoes the size of my fist, eggplants so cute,
And fresh heirloom beans bursting with pride.
The sun, orange on the horizon, frames a pair of
Snowy Egrets above, wings folded in glide descent,
Angling towards their roost.
A solitary Cricket, at home in the cabbage patch,
seesaws a hypnotic greeting, then hushes
As I pass.
A Monarch Butterfly wisps past my head, enjoying
Nectar from scattered flowers. The scent of herbs,
Blossoms and love settles softly in my heart.
I know life can be hard, but this moment, just
This moment, I’m filled with such Grace from
God I only stand in humble gratitude.
5. Be Happy
by Sri Chinmoy
Be happy
You will grow into God’s greatest blessing, His highest pride.
Be happy
Yesterday’s world wants you to enjoy its surrendered breath.
Today’s world wants you to enjoy its surrendering breath.
Tomorrow’s world wants you to enjoy its fulfilling breath.
Be happy
Be happy in the morning with what you have.
Be happy in the evening with what you are.
Be happy
Don’t complain. Who complains? The blind beggar in you.
When you complain, you dance in the mire of ignorance-condition.
When you don’t complain, all conditions of the world are at your feet, and God gives you a new name: aspiration.
Aspiration is the supreme wealth in the world of light and delight.
Be happy
Do you want never to be poor? Then be happy. Do you want ever to be great? Then be happy.
Be happy
You will get what you like most. You will be what you like best.
Be happy
When you are happy, you and God command each other.
God commands you lovingly. You command God hastily.
When you are unhappy, the Hostile Forces command you ruthlessly, doubt commands you openly, bondage commands you triumphantly and fear commands you unconditionally.
Be happy
God sees in you His aspiring Creation, His transforming Realisation, His illumining Revelation and His fulfilling Manifestation.
Be happy
God sees in you another God. God sees you as another God. God sees you and He as One.
6. Grief and Anguish
by Stacey Brown
Selfish pride and bitter feelings,
Tangled up in Satan’s dealings!
Alienation is just simply ruthless,
And will make one feel utterly useless.
When the vulnerable are left alone,
Their grief and anguish will cause them to moan!
Darkness becomes the abandon’s ark;
Fear and torment begins to embark!
The heart that lies within all men,
Needs true forgiveness now and then!
Apologies and gracious surrounding,
Will save a man from a senseless drowning!
Grace and love: Christ is our example,
in each one of us, we have ample!
Short Poems about Pride
Short poems about pride can be a motivation to boost your self-confidence. If you are looking for a quick daily reminder to love yourself, these short poetries about pride are sure to do the trick.
1. High and Low
by John B. Tabb
A boot and a Shoe and a Slipper
Lived once in the Cobbler’s row:
But the Boot and the Shoe
Would have nothing to do
With the Slipper, because she was low.
But the king and the queen and their daughter
On the Cobbler chanced to call;
And as neither the Boot
Nor the Shoe would suit
The Slipper went off to the ball.
2. Humility Is a Pride
by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Pride grows with power or wealth.
Pride grows with skill and knowledge
Pride grows without these also.
Humility too is a form of pride.
3. On The Cackling of a Hen
by John Bunyan
The hen, so soon as she an egg doth lay,
(Spreads the fame of her doing what she may.)
About the yard she cackling now doth go,
To tell what ’twas she at her nest did do.
Just thus it is with some professing men,
If they do ought that good is, like our hen
They can but cackle on’t where e’er they go,
What their right hand doth their left hand must know.
4. The Pedigree of Honey
by Emily Dickinson
The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy
5. Look at Your Pride
by Sri Chinmoy
Look at your pride.
It has made you utterly helpless.
When you say something
In a positive way,
Out of nowhere pride appears.
When you say something
In a negative way,
Again out of nowhere pride appears.
Alas, how helpless you are.
6. A Toad Can Die of Light!
by Emily Dickinson
A toad can die of light!
Death is the common right
Of toads and men, —
Of earl and midge
The privilege.
Why swagger then?
The gnat’s supremacy
Is large as thine.
7. The Foolish Flamingo
by Amos Russel Wells
The foolish flamingo she looked in the glass.
Ah, foolish flamingo!
She fell in love with herself, alas!
Ah, foolish flamingo!
Her beaux all exclaimed as they left in a huff,
“The bird has one lover and one is enough!”
Ah, foolish flamingo!
Long Poems about Pride
Long poems are a great way to seek the theme of pride. These long poetries about pride allow the reader to explore the nature of pride and how it affects different aspects of life.
1. The Kite; Or, Pride Must Have a Fall
by John Newton
My waking dreams are best conceal’d,
Much folly, little good, they yield;
But now and then I gain, when sleeping,
A friendly hint that’s worth the keeping.
Lately I dreamt of ope who cried,
“Beware of self, beware of pride;
When you are prone to build a Babel,
Recall to mind this little fable.”
Once on a time a paper kite
Was mounted to a wond’rous height,
Where, giddy with its elevation,
It thus express’d self-admiration;
“See how yon crowds of gazing people
Admire my flight above the steeple;
How would they wonder if they knew
All that a kite like me can do!
Were I but free, I’d take a flight,
And pierce the clouds beyond their sight;
But, ah! like a poor pris’ner bound,
My string confines me near the ground:
I’d brave the eagle’s towering wing,
Might I but fly without a string.”
It tugg’d and pull’d, while thus it spoke,
To break the string:—at last it broke.
Depriv’d at once of all its stay,
In vain it tried to soar away;
Unable its own weight to bear,
It flutter’d downward through the air;
Unable its own course to guide,
The winds soon plung’d it in the tide.
Ah! foolish kite, thou hadst no wing,
How couldst thou fly without a string?
My heart replied, “O Lord, I see
How much this kite resembles me!
Forgetful that by thee I stand,
Impatient of thy ruling hand;
How oft I’ve wish’d to break the lines
Thy wisdom for my lot assigns?
How oft indulg da vain desire,
For something more or something higher?
And, but for grace and love divine,
A fall thus dreadful had been mine.”
2. The Pebble and The Acorn
by Hannah Flagg Gould
“I am a Pebble! and yield to none!”
Were swelling words of a tiny stone,
“Nor time nor season can alter me;
I am abiding, while ages flee.
The pelting hail and the drizzling rain
Have tried to soften me, long, in vain;
And the tender dew has sought to melt,
Or touch my heart; but it was not felt.
There’s none that can tell about my birth,
For I’m as old as the big, round earth.
The children of men arise, and pass
Out of the world, like the blades of grass;
And many a foot on me has trod,
That’s gone from sight, and under the sod!
I am a Pebble! but who art thou,
Rattling along from the restless bough?”
The Acorn was shocked at this rude salute,
And lay for a moment abashed and mute;
She never before had been so near
This gravelly ball, the mundane sphere;
And she felt for a time at a loss to know
How to answer a thing so coarse and low.
But to give reproof of a nobler sort
Than the angry look, or the keen retort,
At length she said, in a gentle tone,
“Since it has happened that I am thrown
From the lighter element, where I grew,
Down to another, so hard and new,
And beside a personage so august,
Abased, I will cover my head with dust,
And quickly retire from the sight of one
Whom time, nor season, nor storm, nor sun,
Nor the gentle dew, nor the grinding heel
Has ever subdued, or made to feel!”
And soon, in the earth, she sunk away
From the comfortless spot where the Pebble lay.
But it was not long ere the soil was broke
By the peering head of an infant oak!
And, as it arose and its branches spread,
The Pebble looked up, and wondering said,
“A modest Acorn! never to tell
What was enclosed in its simple shell;
That the pride of the forest was folded up
In the narrow space of its little cup!
And meekly to sink in the darksome earth,
Which proves that nothing could hide her worth!
And oh! how many will tread on me,
To come and admire the beautiful tree,
Whose head is towering towards the sky,
Above such a worthless thing as I!
Useless and vain, a cumberer here,
I have been idling from year to year.
But never, from this, shall a vaunting word
From the humbled Pebble again be heard,
Till something without me or within,
Shall show the purpose for which I’ve been!”
The Pebble its vow could not forget,
And it lies there wrapt in silence yet.
3. The Prostrate Pink
by Hannah Flagg Gould
Alas! alas! a silly Pink,
To climb so fast, and never think
How feeble was my trust!
I sought a high and airy throne;
Aspired too far to stand alone;
And now, in lowliness, must own
My kindred with the dust!
O, would my stem had snapped in twain,
And saved me from the lingering pain
Of being thus abased!
‘T is worse than death to lie so low,
While all the laughing flowers must know,
Ambition caused my overthrow,
And brought me here disgraced!
My native spot is far behind!
Nor can I turn and hope to find
Again my parent root,
Where, fain my blushing head I’d screen
Among the leaves so thick and green,
Whence I, a timid bud, was seen
In infancy to shoot.
My beauteous form and hue, so bright,
I thought could tempest, hail and blight
And insect’s touch defy.
I grew in boldness—meekness fled;
I burst my cup, my odors shed
With lavish haste; my petals spread,
And courted every eye.
I little knew how great the fault
Myself to flatter and exalt,
Until I found, too late,
My head grew giddy with the height;
The sun-beam seemed a whirling light;
I lost my balance—lost my sight;
And here I met my fate.
My sister Flowers, take heed! take heed!
Your loveliness will ever need
Protection from the blast.
Be cautious what your beauties court,
Whereon you venture, how you sport;
And if a straw is your support,
See where you may be cast.
Your charms are highest half-concealed;
Your sweets are dearest, when revealed
With modesty and fear;
And she, who quits the leafy shade
That nature for her shelter made,
May pine and languish, moan and fade,
Like her who sorrows here.
4. The Silk-Worm’s Will
by Hannah Flagg Gould
On a plain rush hurdle a silk-worm lay,
When a proud young princess came that way;
The haughty child of a human king
Threw a sidelong glance at the humble thing,
That received with silent gratitude
From the mulberry leaf her simple food,
And shrunk, half scorn and half disgust,
Away from her sister child of the dust;
Declaring she never yet could see
Why a reptile form like this should be;
And that she was not made with nerves so firm,
As calmly to stand by a ‘crawling worm!’
With mute forbearance the silk-worm took
The taunting words and the spurning look.
Alike a stranger to self and pride,
She’d no disquiet from aught beside;
And lived of a meekness and peace possessed,
Which these debar from the human breast.
She only wished, for the harsh abuse,
To find some way to become of rise
To the haughty daughter of lordly man;
And thus did she lay a noble plan
To teach her wisdom and make it plain,
That the humble worm was not made in vain;
A plan so generous, deep and high,
That, to carry it out, she must even die!
‘No more,’ said she, ‘will I drink or eat!
I’ll spin and weave me a winding sheet,
To wrap me up from the sun’s clear light,
And hide thy form from her wounded sight.
In secret then, till my end draws nigh,
I’ll toil for her; and, when I die,
I’ll leave behind, as a farewell boon
To the proud young princess, my whole cocoon,
To be reeled and wove to a shining lace,
And hung in a veil o’er her scornful face!
And when she can calmly draw her breath
Through the very threads that have caused my death;
When she finds, at length, she has nerves so firm,
As to wear the shroud of a crawling worm,
May she bear in mind, that she walks with pride
In the winding sheet where the silk-worm died!’
6. His Mother
by Rose Henderson
She yawns as she takes out each dart sharpens
the tip and adds them back to pile.
This game has been going on for quite a while.
She stretches as still she refuses to play.
Come what may.
Again he steps up and snatches the darts.
Posed he stands there a fine work of art.
Young still vibrant chest puffed in defiance.
Having gained so much except the
ability to feel pride in self-reliance.
His eyes bright as the day time skies.
She shakes her head still not understanding why.
She braces for the inevitable as sharp points fly.
Her hide tough from battling through lies.
Each dart hitting its mark
For although he lacks in self pride he doesnt lack in smarts.
She grimaces and takes each one not allowing eyes to meet.
He takes his seat.
She again gathers the sarcastic off handed remarks
The shots taken in the dark
Each black purple blue and red spotted dart.
She yawns and sharpens each one with care
and returns them doing her part.
Taking her place solemn hurt filled rejection weighing down
Slumped shoulders and broken frown.
She remains on solid strength grown ground
Determined to love through it all til self-pride
through self-reliance is found.
Again tonight she took in the bad and turned it around.
Giving of her feelings her heart giving her all without a sound.
Teaching through suffering that she will remain.
She has not left as each battle came.
She lived through lonely and breathed through pain.
Staying as close as she can.
Trying to help build pride within this man.
Poems about Pride That Rhyme
The rhyming poems about pride is a topic that lends itself well to rhyme, making it a popular choice for poets. In this category, we have compiled a list of poems about pride that rhyme.
1. The Proud Pebble
by Anonymous
At the top of a slope a pebble lay,
At the top of a sandy dune;
And he sung to himself in a lordly way,
To a slow and majestic tune:
“Oh, I am the king of the beach below,
That curves to the north and the south;
And I am the king of the boats that go
To the busy harbor’s mouth.
“Yes, I am the king of the swaying tide,
And the waves that lightly race;
And I am the king of the ocean wide
To the very end of space.”
The pebble looked down from his outlook clear
On a stone at the foot of the slope.
“Poor creature,” said he, “of a lower sphere,
Condemned to grovel and grope.
“But some are made to be stately and grave,
And some are born to obey,
As yonder stone was made for a slave,
And I was born to hold sway.”
A boy just then, with a kick of his toe,
Sent the stone some inches aside,
And down forthwith, reluctant and slow,
The cliff began to glide.
Higher and higher the movements reach
On the dune’s steep sloping face,
Till they touch our pebble of lordly speech,
And draw it down to the base.
There it lies by the side of the stone,
And it has not a word to say
About the folks who are born to a throne,
And the folks who are born to obey.
2. Three Hard Words
by Amos Russel Wells
He can memorize long orations,
And regards the work as play;
His masterful dissertations
The clearest of thought convey.
His speeches are never the weaker
For lack of a suitable word;
In fine, he’s the readiest speaker
You prohably ever have heard.
He never was known to stutter,
His voice is vibrant and strong;
Yet three words he never can utter,
Those three little words, “I was wrong.”
3. Bird Egotism
by Anonymous
A vireo sings in the top of the tree
The whole of the livelong day.
He sings: “See me! Look at me! See me!”
And that is all he can say.
He is well worth looking at, natty and trim
In his garments of olive green;
He is hard at work on his leafy limb,
And he wears the friendliest mien.
But he sings: “Here, here! Look at me! Look, look!
See me! Look at me! Do, do!”
And that is the whole of his wisest book,
Declaiming it through and through.
I like his grit, and I like his cheer,
And surely he’s good to see;
But I own it is tiresome forever to hear;
“See me! Look at me! See me!”
4. After Wings
by Sarah M. B. Piatt
This was your butterfly, you see,—
His fine wings made him vain:
The caterpillars crawl, but he
Passed them in rich disdain.—
My pretty boy says, “Let him be
Only a worm again!”
O child, when things have learned to wear
Wings once, they must be fain
To keep them always high and fair:
Think of the creeping pain
Which even a butterfly must bear
To be a worm again!
5. The Mistaken Anemometer
by Amos Russel Wells
A little anemometer
On the weather-bureau high
Was set to measure off the wind
That whistled through the sky.
As the wind blew hard or the wind blew soft,
So swift he turned or slow,
And just the numher of miles an hour
His dial-plate would show.
But the little anemometer
On the weather-bureau tall
Decided, very innocent,
‘Twas he that did it all.
So when the wind blew a hurricane—
“I’m a terrible fellow!” he cried;
And when the wind was a zephyr mild—
“I’m too tired to blow,” he sighed.
Until one melancholy day
A little breeze, in fun,
Twisted the anemometer
So that it couldn’t run;
And thus it learned that the heavens work
On an independent plan,
And it grew to be a modest machine
And ceased to be like a man.
6. Voice of My Pride
by Emeka Williams Etumnu
Everyday I wake up
With the dream, be top
What will kick me to ride
The voice of my pride
Sometimes I’m down
She’ll whispers don’t be a clown
To be weigh down by tide
The voice of my pride
I want to be great
It’s never too late
Don’t give heed to deride
The voice of my pride
My life, down the drain
No, sun shine after the rain
In the raging storm, abide
The voice of my pride
Like the Iroko, many times I fall
Felt never to rise tall
Never be tired in the stride
The voice of my pride
In her words I find solace
My path I have retrace
Like an angel her voice, my guide
The voice of my pride
In the days of old, hardly I glee
Now, new beginning I see
Credit to the voice that never subside
The voice of my pride.
7. The Harp That Once Through Tara’s Halls
by Thomas Moore
The harp that once through Tara’s halls
The soul of music shed,
Now hangs as mute on Tara’s walls
As if that soul were fled.
So sleeps the pride of former days,
So glory’s thrill is o’er,
And hearts, that once beat high for praise,
Now feel that pulse no more.
No more to chiefs and ladies bright
The harp of Tara swells:
The chord alone, that breaks at night,
Its tale of ruin tells.
Thus freedom now so seldom wakes,
The only throb she gives
Is when some heart indignant breaks,
To show that still she lives.
8. An Old Story
by Edwin Arlington Robinson
Strange that I did not know him then.
That friend of mine!
I did not even show him then
One friendly sign;
But cursed him for the ways he had
To make me see
My envy of the praise he had
For praising me.
I would have rid the earth of him
Once, in my pride…
I never knew the worth of him
Until he died.
Poems about Pride for Children
The poems about pride for kids can also be a fun and engaging way to introduce them to poetry. These poems can range from silly to playful, making them a versatile tool for parents and educators alike.
1. Detail of the Woods
by Richard Siken
I looked at all the trees and didn’t know what to do.
A box made out of leaves.
What else was in the woods? A heart, closing. Nevertheless.
Everyone needs a place. It shouldn’t be inside of someone else.
I kept my mind on the moon. Cold moon, long nights moon.
From the landscape: a sense of scale.
From the dead: a sense of scale.
I turned my back on the story. A sense of superiority.
Everything casts a shadow.
Your body told me in a dream it’s never been afraid of anything.
2. Check Yourself
by Anonymous
check yourself fool
check your judgement
check yourself by judging yourself
pride yourself by judging yourself
pride yourself by judging your judgement
respect yourself is by judging yourself
respect your pride is by judging your pride
to fool yourself is to check yourself
to fool yourself is to respect yourself
respect is to honor yourself
to honor yourself is to honor your respect
judgement is a pride of honor
judgement is a pride of checking yourself
to fool yourself is to pride yourself
a fool check himself
a fool fool himself
pride yourself to fool yourself
pride yourself to honor yourself
pride is priding yourself
honor is honoring yourself
check is checking yourself
3. Survival Guide
by Joy Ladin
No matter how old you are,
it helps to be young
when you’re coming to life,
to be unfinished, a mysterious statement,
a journey from star to star.
So break out a box of Crayolas
and draw your family
looking uncomfortably away
from the you you’ve exchanged
for the mannequin
they named. You should
help clean up, but you’re so busy being afraid
to love or not
you’re missing the fun of clothing yourself
in the embarrassment of life.
Frost your lids with midnight;
lid your heart with frost;
rub them all over, the hormones that regulate
the production of love
from karmic garbage dumps.
Turn yourself into
the real you
you can only discover
by being other.
Voila! You’re free.
Learn to love the awkward silence
you are going to be.
4. The Best Thing in The World
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
What’s the best thing in the world?
June-rose, by May-dew impearled;
Sweet south-wind, that means no rain;
Truth, not cruel to a friend;
Pleasure, not in haste to end;
Beauty, not self-decked and curled
Till its pride is over-plain;
Love, when, so, you’re loved again.
What’s the best thing in the world?
–Something out of it, I think.
5. Pride of Children
by Sellamuthu S.Kandasamy
1. Nothing regards better than
getting wise children.
2. Inheriting innocent heirs innocuous
for future generation.
3. Great Children are like fruits
of sowed seeds.
4. Kids’ little-porridge offer is
better than ambrosia.
5. Kind touch, strange languages
of children delightful.
6. Deaf to kids’ gabbling
flatter flute, guitar.
7. Father’s gratefulness, merit his
son among scholars.
8. Transcending of children profits
mankind than parents.
9. Esteeming son delights mother
than she bore.
10. Son’s gratitude, parents delight
for giving birth.
6. A Prouder Man Than You
by Henry Lawson
If you fancy that your people came of better stock than mine,
If you hint of higher breeding by a word or by a sign,
If you’re proud because of fortune or the clever things you do —
Then I’ll play no second fiddle: I’m a prouder man than you!
If you think that your profession has the more gentility,
And that you are condescending to be seen along with me;
If you notice that I’m shabby while your clothes are spruce and new —
You have only got to hint it: I’m a prouder man than you!
If you have a swell companion when you see me on the street,
And you think that I’m too common for your toney friend to meet,
So that I, in passing closely, fail to come within your view —
Then be blind to me forever: I’m a prouder man than you!
If your character be blameless, if your outward past be clean,
While ’tis known my antecedents are not what they should have been,
Do not risk contamination, save your name whate’er you do —
`Birds o’ feather fly together’: I’m a prouder bird than you!
Keep your patronage for others! Gold and station cannot hide
Friendship that can laugh at fortune, friendship that can conquer pride!
Offer this as to an equal — let me see that you are true,
And my wall of pride is shattered: I am not so proud as you!
7. Two Schools
by Henry Van Dyke
I put my heart to school
In the world, where men grow wise,
‘Go out,’ I said, ‘and learn the rule;
Come back when you win a prize.’
My heart came back again:
‘Now where is the prize? ‘ I cried. – –
‘The rule was false, and the prize was pain,
And the teacher’s name was Pride.’
I put my heart to school
In the woods, where veeries sing,
And brooks run cool and clear;
In the fields, where wild flowers spring,
And the blue of heaven bends near.
‘Go out,’ I said: ‘you are half a fool,
But perhaps they can teach you here.’
‘And why do you stay so long,
My heart, and where do you roam? ‘
The answer came with a laugh and a song, – –
‘I find this school is home.’
Poems about Pride and Arrogance
Pride and arrogance can often go hand in hand, leading to negative consequences. Poems about this topic can explore the fine line between confidence and overconfidence.
1. Arrogance of Man
by Giovanna Marie
arrogance of man is a defect
what you see is what you get
they say pride comes before the fall
some cannot see this at all
pride in accomplishments
pride in family
pride in self
are all good attributes
unless others are treated inferior
never looking beyond their exterior
we are all equal under God’s eyes
and we all will one day die
be kind to one another
and not let arrogance
cause decay
it was never meant to be that way
2. Pride
by Regina McIntosh
It comes boldly, like the winter’s cold
Immodest and smug, it can’t be told
It lives in the arrogant and the vain
Always dignified, never one to abstain
It is conceited, like the wind’s howl
Never smiling – leaves its dark scowl
It is egotistical beyond the belief
Not ashamed of its stolen relief
It feels so superior – a tear never falls
From its eyes, where it’s honor calls
It reminds the humble of its advantage
Without its haughtiness, can they manage?
It condescends and it says it always wins
But the believer knows it’s the biggest of sins!
3. Pride and Arrogance
by Sue Ba
Seem to be espoused
To each other….
For where you find one..
You’ll always find the other…
4. Arrogant Pride
by Edward Kofi Louis
Arrogant pride!
The ride of evil acts;
At the side of wickedness.
5. Pride and Arrogance
by Deborah Ann Belka
Lord, this fight is Yours,
I give the conflict to You
for I am not sure . . .
what with it I should do.
The opposition,
is way too aggressive
outright obstinate
overtly progressive.
Lord, this contest is Yours,
I need You to take charge
the battleground for me
is just way too large.
The conflict that I am in,
is too overwhelming
my opponents are many
and oh, so unrelenting.
Lord this fight is Yours,
come save me . . .
from satan’s arrogance
and his prideful army!
Poems about Pride for Self
Pride is an essential part of one’s personality, and it’s important to have a healthy level of self-confidence. These poems about pride for self can help boost self-esteem and encourage self-love.
1. Self-Pride
by Paul Colvin
You are yourself not someone else
Do not decry, dare not deny
When asked or told you’re something less
Stand proud and say, I’m me.
You cannot be what you’re not,
No matter what your background
Don’t be afraid of truths
Do not give way to higher claims
Stand tall and look them in the eye
Do not cringe at parents’ flaws
But respect the lot you have
Thank them for the gift of life
And pity those who put you down.
2. Dear Me
by Winter Wallace
Dear Me,
I need you to be stronger
I need you to never be afraid
swallow your pride, and your flight will be softer
tell her you love her, even if it hurts
Grab onto your dream and live it
Do not be afraid of the sun’s divinity
Be better, love more, hold on.
Dear Me,
Enjoy every stop of the ride.
For when the train finally stops…we die
Until we witness the angels dance after final day…
Dear Me, hide your fears away
3. Help Humanity So That God Gets The-Glory
by James Edward Lee Sr.
Allow God’s love to use you to permeate the flow of
His righteousness through you
Be a carrier of His heart beats help others
Just do
Not for our self-pride, gain, self-glory, returns
Suffer not the little ones
Humanity he’s down-hearted and in impoverished ones
once I was hungry did you feed me?
It’s not me it’s the God in me
Through this our Father God gets the Glory
Love always Love care and share
So the light of God shines through your hart
4. Forgiveness
by John Greenleaf Whittier
My heart was heavy, for its trust had been
Abused, its kindness answered with foul wrong;
So, turning gloomily from my fellow-men,
One summer Sabbath day I strolled among
The green mounds of the village burial-place;
Where, pondering how all human love and hate
Find one sad level; and how, soon or late,
Wronged and wrongdoer, each with meekened face,
And cold hands folded over a still heart,
Pass the green threshold of our common grave,
Whither all footsteps tend, whence none depart,
Awed for myself, and pitying my race,
Our common sorrow, like a mighty wave,
Swept all my pride away, and trembling I forgave!
5. Christmas Fat Goose Coming Wishbone Me Myself and I
by Christopher Flaherty
Myself and I
Christmas is coming
And I myself once upon a time
Much like the goose was getting fat
I am now sadly not
For I am currently now getting
thinner than
The leftover wishbone from this
year’s thanksgiving’s turkey
I managed to scavenge from my
next door neighbors bins
After they we’re obviously finished
and done with so therefore eventually
threw the remaining scraps out
Who if they knew or I was willing
to admit the dire state of the situation
I find find myself mired in
Would surely then have offered to
take me in and provide me with
whatsoever help they could
But sadly my own self pride ego
and wanting to keep pace and up
with the Joneses
Will and has left me again sadly
with nothing more
Than hunger pains and grumbling
noise in the pit of my stomach
And a perfectly stripped chewed down
to the bone , wishbone
And hopefully 1 wish still remaining
in tow
So here goes
How I wish it was only them suffering
this unholy indignation as apposed
to me
Or I had taken just a single moment
of my precious time
To be a better neighbor give a damn
or care about anything or anyone
Other than me myself and only I
6. What Will It Be
by Jerry T Curtis
There’s a storm that we can’t weather
There’s a war that we can’t win
But as long as we’re together
We’re together thick and thin
I know that you said things
I didn’t like or understand
Then my reply would surely sting
Hot and dry like desert sand
So, I’ll lay aside my pride
As you’ll reach to hold my hand
Using love to be our guide
And respect to make our stand
‘Cause there’s a war that we can win
And a storm that we can’t weather
Unless through thick and thin
We can learn to stick together
7. Reading the Narcissist
by L Milton Hankins
I will keep in mind the things you wrote
Of your station in life, your bitter travail,
Your messages so purposefully penned
And how, despite it all, you can’t ever fail.
I will have no truck with narcissistic drivel
Your excessive expressions of superiority,
Think not for one moment you are so great
When showing your feelings of inferiority.
I have dealt with many like you in my life
Who tried to convince me of their eloquence,
But I have learned to recognize self-pride,
Foolish, deluded persons of no consequence,
To those who put me down for succeeding,
Time soon came when I did the reading.
8. Pride
by Dr. Balnarayana Bandam
Pride is a sort of self-respect and personal worth
Feel of self -superiority and blaming others as unworthy
Ever feels thy safe, and self-defense
Pride of thy power and dignity commence
And the attachment both leads to pride
Pride is a sort of weakness of the person beside
Though Pandavas at battle had no domain
They were of modest and with support divine
Duryodhana had the kingdom and martial
As was with immense pride lost thrown and life hostile
A riverside tree always feels of thy vastness
As is stronger and more potent than the underlying grass tininess
But as the river overflowed with intense wind
The grass on the land obeyed and bent and survived of water and wind
But the mighty tree as refusing to bend
Uprooted entirely, was logged to pieces at the end
The big snake if feels pride and resists tiny ants can kill
Thus away the life of pride, better is the survival skill
Poems about Pride and Love
Love and pride are two emotions that are closely intertwined. Here are some heartwarming poems about the pride we feel in the ones we love.
1. Soulmates
by Daniel Turner
With a calm soothing look from your blue eyes
You invite me in to refresh my worth
And heal my wounds with your appealing mirth
A kiss from your lips leaves me satisfied
To desire no more, just be by your side
Tease my cheek with your feathery soft flirt
And I’ll tie off my vessel at your berth
While your waves of kindness restore my pride
We’ll take a walk on the beach holding hearts
Take a swim in the waters of desire
Drying our bare souls in the bright sun light
Never again will we let our paths part
Climbing love’s mountain higher and higher
Then down the backside, to walk out of sight
2. Your Love I’ll Ever Bear
by Besma Riabi Dziri
I want to word my very Love for you
though as a shy child, I start to stammer
a beloved Mother, my sole bijou
as I am of your prime Land enamoured.
A rose breathing the scent of your terra
born and bred knowing no other home soil
how can I bear the burn of your Summer
anger and worry within my chest boil.
I want to paint my very pride in you
with drops of my blood and ivory star
then draw your nature and beauty anew
how would my poetry meet who you are?
To my dear mother, shall I, You compare?
TUNISIA, Your Love, I’ll ever bear.
3. My Allegiance I Vow
by Besma Riabi Dziri
To my terra of roots
my allegiance I vow
I wallow in your fruits
and to your flag I bow.
Dream not till wake of dawn
beaming sun light I wait
burst of glee of no bourn
the feels of the soul, sate.
Awe chills into my spine
as your Hymn in pride sung
for Home in peace I pine
and love never be swung.
How could my pen, you turn
in a fine rhyming word
as my quill longs to learn
inking with grace and verve.
4. A Gift of Love
by Daniel Turner
Around my mom, I always felt my guilt
My conscience seem to always take her side
Some years ago, I gave her a new quilt
I still recall the tears of joy she cried
My gift of love to warm her nights with pride
It’s hand sewn patches in a ring design
It showed up at my door after she died
Inside a plain brown box tied with used twine
And though there was no note, I read her mind
She knew the message sent would be received
A gift of love, to warm, when life’s unkind
She once made quilts to give to those in need
Her gift of love with message plain to see
She knew the one in need, this time… was me.
5. My Love She’d Lent
by Gershon Wolf
I followed her where’er she went
Lured onward by her fragrant scent
She clasped his hand, a handsome gent
How could she know my love she’d lent
I died one thousand deaths inside
Choked back my tears with wounded pride
How long such anguish could I bear
My heart asunder to let tear
The hour had come to make my move
My love for her I had to prove
Unsteady I, and quite unsure
Just how to break the news to her —
My tongue was still despite I tried
‘To ask her this: ‘Please be my bride.’
6. The Treasure of Birth
by Charlie Smith
It’s hard to describe
that true sense of pride
that comes with the worth
of your babies birth
A child takes your heart
right from the start
and wills you to sow
a love destined to grow
From dress ups to cupcakes
from boo-boos to heartbreaks
it’s all worth the pain
from the treasure we gain
Time spent together
can only be measured
in memories we hold
as part of our soul
God keep this life
from turmoil and strife
give it love and care
and blessings to share
For all that we ask
is that we’re up to the task
and do all that we must
to honor your trust.
7. Hope, A Little Remained
by Robert Lindley
She walked the creaking floors of the rat-infested room,
trying to remember what tragedy had sent her to this shabby place.
Her heart felt the desperate pains, that lost love sends in aching waves,
praying her sleeping infant does not wake and cry out from its feverish thirst.
He paced the cold cell, languishing in deep misery, heart shattered,
each step an eternity echoing curses, a testament to his broken pride.
Although thousands of miles apart, he felt her loss, never-ending sorrows,
dawn would come, priest would take his last confession, yet Hope remained.
8. Sun Dance
by Destroyer A
Bright yellow sparks glisten around the landscape
Sheer environment expose
Warmth slinks down every step
So– Invigorating
Spur like rays muster in long light
The wolves wait to howl
Soon–Bunch of flowers
Huddle in with sunlit love
Luminous rave
Poems about Pride and Prejudice
Poems about Pride and Prejudice are powerful works that explore themes of societal biases, injustice, and discrimination. These poems can also explore the dangers of pride and prejudice and the importance of understanding them.
1. Pride & Prejudice!!
by Anonymous
I Elizabeth Bennet, Second of Mr. Bennett’s offspring’s
Been stubborn, very judgy and too proud to admit my feelings
My pride became so huge that I lost the sight to see him truly
The man stood not only for me but for prestige of my family
He accepts me, loves me as I am & seeks no change
He’s not like men I been around he’s different, a maze
He may seem Arrogant Obnoxious and full of rage
Many just assume, with no effort to see past the built cage
When you try to see past that mask, he locks himself behind
You’ll find how genuinely sincere is Mr. Darcy’s soul & mind
I took my time, longer than he ever thought I would
Our time apart never took my heart away, not that other men could
I see what a fine gentleman he is, too dangerously good sometime
I shall run to him straight now, complete a song we both rhyme
2. Pride and Prejudice
by Sarah Mawed
Pride and prejudice two simple words
Yet assembling colossal records
There he was filled with arrogance
Handsome, rich, living in bitterness
Prejudiced with too much pride
No place for love only for conceit
Numb in senses
Can’t feel nor hear or see
Only himself and he;
And he saw her
Epitome of pride
Pride with no vanity
Pride with humanity
Beautiful, charming, smart
Eyes glancing upwards
Reflecting heaven above
A smile fills the darkest dwellings
A heart lifted with love
All he did was to test her mind
Willing to win the fight
The fight of pride
His vanity
Her pride
That’s what’s all about
Just when he left behind
Things that made him blind
She could finally break the spell
To open his eyes
To where love truly lies
And that’s how my dear
We made it all clear
Pride and prejudice leads to fall
Love conquers all!
3. With Charlotte at Lucas Lodge
by Anonymous
Now Lizzy dear, don’t be so blind.
The looks that Mister Darcy gave!
If I myself were in his mind
I’d run away to be his slave.
A gent like that would do me fine.
For such a man I’d cheer and clap
and ring the noble bells divine
and frolic in his manly lap.
Don’t let your need for great romance
prevent your acting as you should,
or as the dreary years advance
you’ll join me in my spinsterhood.
On second thought, I really think
that you should spurn his steady glance
and let his sunny spirits sink,
and maybe then I’ll have a chance.
Now Lizzy, really, I just tease.
I know he has no eye for me.
Miss Bingley is the one he sees.
Just slip some poison in her tea.
4. Kitty and Lydia at the Netherfield Ball
by Anonymous
Dance with every coat that’s red.
Dance so hard we might drop dead.
Foot and ankle, one big bruise.
Should’ve brought our other shoes.
Wonder where that rector is.
Wants to dance with sister Liz.
How that man can talk and talk.
She can have him, lock and stock.
Mister Darcy’s such a lout,
chasing Lizzy all about.
Still behaves like such a brute.
Hope she pops him in the snoot.
Mister Bingley, you’re so sweet!
Sister Jane can’t rest her feet.
Meeting you was opportune.
Hope to have a wedding soon.
Hate your sister — wish her dead.
Hope she trips and breaks her head.
Acts as though she’s god on Earth.
Should’ve strangled her at birth.
Have to say we like her style.
Wish that she could crack a smile.
London clothes she likes to wear.
Maybe she could take us there.
Trip to London suits us fine.
Leave this dreary town behind.
Maids to hark our every word.
Take our tea with George the Third.
All the people we would meet.
Living on some fancy street.
Into Jane’s new house we’d move.
If old Darcy will approve.
5. Mr. Bennet’s Reaction
by Anonymous
My dearest darling of so many years,
notice the swelling in my worn-out ears.
Oh, yes, yes, yes. I know the time is ripe,
and I hope for your sake he’s the marrying type.
I can’t imagine what your fussing serves,
so show some mercy to my tender nerves.
That blasted mansion has been let at last,
but must you all accost the man so fast?
He’ll check out everyone within a week.
He’ll find the local prospects all too bleak.
Your silly twitterings are all in vain.
The man will marvel when he sees our Jane.
Believe me, dearest, I am well aware
of your constant purpose and your deep despair.
Heaven above, you do go on and on,
but what’s to fear until I’m dead and gone?
If just one daughter has her future made,
the whole contingent will receive her aid.
No, no! This moment isn’t opportune.
I’ve better ways to waste an afternoon.
Remember, dearest, I am not yet blind.
Our daughters’ fates are always on my mind.
Just sit and wait for the Assembly ball.
Surround the fellow with a female wall.
I’m staying here! Go see the man alone!
He might appreciate the way you drone.
Stifle, old woman, all this useless talk
or I’ll slam this bloody door and bolt the lock.
Oh, blast it, woman! Can’t you go away?
For heaven’s sake! I met the man today!
6. Kitty and Lydia
by Anonymous
At Netherfield while Jane is ill upstairs
Netherfield is awfully fine.
Living here must be divine.
Turn me round and I’d get lost.
How much did this mansion cost?
Great idea yesterday:
maybe we could come and stay.
Marry Jane, fulfil our prayers.
Pick out two big rooms upstairs.
Only problem we can see:
Bingley’s sister won’t agree.
Why does she have so much clout?
New wife Jane will throw her out.
Wonder when you’ll marry Jane.
Four more sisters that you’ll gain.
Find some room for all our stuff.
Longbourn isn’t big enough.
Hertfordshire is such a bore.
Having fun is such a chore.
Nothing much for us to do.
Like to bid this town adieu.
Did our host just make a joke?
Did his sister start to choke?
Mister B, you’re such a doll!
Can’t believe you’ll throw a ball!
First you need to cure the gloom.
Lock your sister in her room.
Mister Darcy looks too glum.
Does he really have to come?
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, poems about pride are a wonderful way to explore and express the many dimensions of this complex emotion.
Whether it’s celebrating personal achievements, reflecting on the dangers of arrogance, or exploring the intersections of pride with love, there is no shortage of great poetry on this topic.
We hope that this article has introduced you to a variety of pride poems that you will enjoy and find inspiring.
Please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below, and don’t forget to share your favorite pride poems with us!
