Photo taken in Lisbon, Portugal
Changing Tempo
It seems that no matter the time or place, decade after decade, nothing could ever make us tire of the classic love song. Whether our favorites lean toward a particular genre or artist, something about the subject pulls our attention like a moth to a flame.
Lyrics that speak to universal themes centered on romantic longing, heartbreak, devotion, and grief melodically lure the listener with a capacity to magically transport them to their own personal memories. It makes sense how cathartic music can be, allowing us to process emotions we might not realize we’re capable of articulating.
This reminds me of a Portuguese concept I came across called “Saudade.” While in Lisbon, I learned that it refers to a deep melancholic and sentimental longing for something we no longer have; a nostalgic sadness combined with the sweet appreciation for even experiencing it.
The way I see it, this all connects to our capacity to tap into our emotional depth, all from the rhythms of an empowering art form: poetry. While poems don’t require an accompanying track, it’s not necessary to discover their tune as they gradually point to the musicality that exists in our own lives.
Like the changing tempo of our everyday moments, we don’t always get to pick and choose what we get to work with, but hopefully, we can manage through the raw beats of individual expression. Here are five poems of life lessons that might help us with each passing day.
1. “A Dream Within a Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe
If there’s a poet who stood out to me growing up, it would be the great Edgar Allan Poe. His works like “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” carry such a dark, chilling tone that I could hardly forget about even now.
In this poem, however, he sheds light on a moment of contemplation we can all relate to, such as the underlying sadness and grief one feels while questioning the inevitability of loss and the passage of time. In the end, the speaker comes to grips with illusion versus reality, wondering if all is but a dream.
“Take this kiss upon the brow! / And, in parting from you now, / Thus much let me avow: / You are not wrong who deem / That my days have been a dream; / Yet if hope has flown away / In a night, or in a day, / In a vision, or in none, / Is it therefore the less gone? / All that we see or seem / Is but a dream within a dream”
2. “Continue” by Maya Angelou
There’s no talking about poetry without mentioning one of the greatest writers of all time. As a renowned memoirist and champion of civil rights, Maya Angelou used her voice to break literary and cultural barriers while upholding empowering messages of dignity, strength, and hope.
Her uplifting philosophy is more than evident in this poem that offers lyrical guidance for navigating a harsh world with grace, resilience, and integrity. Upon reading it for the first time, it moved me to tears of gratitude for all of the glittering gems of life lessons it contains.
“My wish for you / Is that you continue / Continue / To be who and how you are / To astonish a mean world / With your acts of kindness / Continue / To allow humor to lighten the burden / Of your tender heart / Continue”
3. “The Guest House” by Rumi
Another famous artist whose work transcended multiple bounds is Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet. To this day, his writing remains as significant and relevant as ever, with ideas focused on divine love, unity, and inner transformation.
In this piece, he speaks to these core themes using metaphors and symbols for radical acceptance. Personally, I find that its inherent lesson represents a daily practice that never ends yet nevertheless serves a purpose all the same.
“This being human is a guest house. / Every morning a new arrival. / A joy, a depression, a meanness, / some momentary awareness comes / as an unexpected visitor / Welcome and entertain them all!”
4. “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” by Emily Dickinson
When it comes to this literary medium, it’s not surprising for Emily Dickinson to spring to mind. Regarded as one of the most original poets of the 19th century, her signature, unconventional style serves as a deep exploration of life, death, and nature.
This is another poem bringing to bear the ongoing patterns of the human condition and the enduring strength that always lies within oneself. In it, she highlights the unconditional hope like a resilient, comforting bird living inside all of us.
“And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard / And sore must be the storm / That could abash the little Bird / that kept so many warm / I’ve heard it in the chillest land / And on the strangest Sea / Yet – never – in Extremity / It asked a crumb – of me.”
5. “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is another widely-read poet known for creating enduring cultural legends with the use of history, folklore, and myth. As a member of the “Fireside Poets,” his work contributed to popularizing traditional verses for families that gathered by the fire to read and memorize them.
What strikes me about this poem is how energizing it makes me feel from the undying urge and optimism of the speaker’s persuasive tone. With an emphasis on action over passivity, a timeless truth echoes throughout the piece, which is the significance of living in the present and persisting at the heart of what genuinely matters.
“Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, / Is our destined end or way; / But to act, that each to-morrow / Find us farther than to-day. / Art is long, and Time is fleeting, / And our hearts, though stout and brave, / Still, like muffled drums, are beating / Funeral marches to the grave.”
Gentle Clarity
When we take a moment to look around, we might notice how often poetry surrounds us. From the scrawled etchings we momentarily pass to the well-thought-out words of someone in our lives to the catchy verse of the silliest little love song, the longing for deep expression remains.
Maybe we don’t always get the chance to appreciate a piece of art that for some may scream cringeworthy corny in every way; while for some, the opposite might be the case. Maybe it’s a matter of time and place, when something catches us by surprise and moves us on another level, like the gentle clarity we gain all from the simple words that we somehow knew we needed to hear that day.
