Poetry & Analysis
Selected Attitude Poems
Inspirational PoemsBe the Best of Whatever You Are
If you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a scrub in the valley—but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.
If you can’t be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can’t be a muskie then just be a bass—
But the liveliest bass in the lake!
We can’t all be captains, we’ve got to be crew,
There’s something for all of us here.
There’s big work to do, and there’s lesser to do,
And the task we must do is the near.
If you can’t be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can’t be the sun be a star;
It isn’t by size that you win or you fail—
Be the best of whatever you are!
Overview Short Summary
This is one of the most useful attitude poems for students because it teaches self-worth without comparison. The poem says every role can be meaningful when done well.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Self-worth: Value is not determined by size or rank.
- Confidence: The reader is asked to do their own role well.
- Positive attitude: The poem turns limitation into purpose.
Emotional Effect Tone and Mood
The tone is encouraging and practical. The mood is cheerful, simple, and confidence-building.
In the Long Run
In the long run fame finds the deserving man.
The lucky wight may prosper for a day,
But in good time true merit leads the van
And vain pretence, unnoticed, goes its way.
There is no Chance, no Destiny, no Fate,
But Fortune smiles on those who work and wait,
In the long run.
In the long run all hidden things are known,
The eye of truth will penetrate the night,
And good or ill, thy secret shall be known,
However well ’tis guarded from the light.
All the unspoken motives of the breast
Are fathomed by the years and stand confessed
In the long run.
In the long run all love is paid by love,
Though undervalued by the hosts of earth;
The great eternal Government above
Keeps strict account and will redeem its worth.
Give thy love freely; do not count the cost;
So beautiful a thing was never lost
In the long run.
Overview Short Summary
The poem encourages patience, integrity, and steady faith in long-term results. It fits attitude poems about success because it values merit and persistence over quick luck.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Patience: Time reveals true worth.
- Integrity: Hidden motives eventually become clear.
- Success: Lasting reward comes through work and waiting.
A Song of Life
In the rapture of life and of living,
I lift up my heart and rejoice,
And I thank the great Giver for giving
The soul of my gladness a voice.
In the glow of the glorious weather,
In the sweet-scented, sensuous air,
My burdens seem light as a feather—
They are nothing to bear.
In the strength and the glory of power,
In the pride and the pleasure of wealth,
For a day, for a year, for an hour,
I will bask in the sunshine of health;
But should sickness and poverty ever
Come to me as they come to us all,
I shall trust in the Love that will never
Let me utterly fall.
For I know that the shadows are needed
By the light, that the day may be fair;
And I know that the end is conceded
To all who will work and will dare.
And I know that the best of all glory
Is the glory of service and love,
And the sweetest and worthiest story
Is the story thereof.
Overview Short Summary
This poem celebrates joy while also preparing for hardship. Its attitude is grateful, active, and trusting rather than careless or proud.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Gratitude: The speaker rejoices in life and health.
- Resilience: The poem prepares the heart for sickness or poverty.
- Service: True glory is linked to love and usefulness.
Four Things
Four things a man must learn to do
If he would make his record true:
To think without confusion clearly;
To love his fellow-men sincerely;
To act from honest motives purely;
To trust in God and Heaven securely.
Overview Short Summary
This short attitude poem gives four simple rules for a true life: clear thought, sincere love, honest action, and secure trust.
Core Ideas Main Themes
- Character: The poem defines attitude through thought, love, action, and trust.
- Honesty: Motives matter as much as visible behavior.
- Student-friendly wisdom: Its brevity makes it easy to remember and discuss.
Reader Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What are attitude poems?
Attitude poems are poems that express a clear way of facing life. They may show confidence, courage, self-respect, patience, hope, determination, or a positive attitude toward hardship.
What are the best attitude poems in English for students?
Good attitude poems for students include “If—,” “A Psalm of Life,” “Be the Best of Whatever You Are,” “The Builders,” “Four Things,” and “Keep Going.” These poems teach discipline, courage, self-worth, and steady effort.
Which short attitude poems are easy to read?
Short attitude poems that are easy to read include “Invictus,” “The Noble Nature,” “Hope is the thing with feathers,” “Four Things,” and “Success is counted sweetest.” They are compact but carry strong ideas about confidence, hope, and self-worth.
Are positive attitude poems different from savage attitude poems?
Yes. Positive attitude poems focus on courage, dignity, hope, and self-control. Savage attitude poems usually focus on sharp replies or dominance. This collection keeps the attitude theme literary, useful, and respectful.
What is a good attitude poem about self-respect?
“Invictus” is a strong attitude poem about self-respect because its speaker refuses to let pain or circumstance define his inner identity. Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 29” also shows self-worth returning after comparison and despair.
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