Best Humility Poems
The hat hangs on the wall,
not as a relic,
but as a witness—
to mornings that began before the sun
had made up its mind,
to arguments with weather
and the quiet pacts signed in sweat.
Below, the boots—
faded, cracked, obedient,
still loyal to the shape of a man
who walked with purpose,
even when purpose was
just getting through the day.
They are not symbols,
though we make them so.
They are not sacred,
though we treat them gently,
as if disturbing them
might sever the bond
that holds the past
to the present.
And yet—
the window is open.
The light is not wistful,
but new.
The boots do not mourn.
The hat does not sag.
They wait,
as all things wait
for the next hand,
the next step,
the next story
to begin.
How high the bar that makes a poet Real!
(He walks in mists, and shadows of himself)
To be a poet, is to burn with steel
Set short time in the forge, the lesser self!
He brands his heart with fiery words, set down
And burns his mind with thinking, ‘til it glows,
He hopes, of sonnets, his will be the Crown,
And hopes that all the brilliance of light, shows!
But, oftener, he writes a humble piece,
A few words cramped into a simple form,
But somehow, in his feelings, a release!
Yes, humble-bumble often is the norm.
And that high bar, he reaches seldom, and
Leaves barefoot footprints in the fruity sand.
2/20/2019
I often cower at the thought
of conflict, and what grief it's brought -
while you have courage to engage the fight
for what is right.
I frequently will fret and fear
in dread at what might happen here -
while your strong hope believes the future brings
a bird that sings.
I sometimes walk with head held high,
a prideful, unrepentant guy -
while you are humble as the silent b
in subtlety.
I tend to think I'm always right
and walk illumined by the light -
while you are kind, with grace to listen to
each point of view.
More courage, hope, humility,
and grace I yearn to someday see
etched on your visage when my race is run -
when sets the sun.
Written 16 Jan 2021
There are times when I barely survive
The moments of melancholy and pain
Moments when I just have to cry out
With fears that make me feel beaten
Moments when I don’t know what to say
There are only heartbroken tears flowing
All I can do when I find myself feeling this way
Is reach out to the all knowing Son of God
When I listen for His instruction to find comfort
In the knowledge that He is with me, there in my heart
Carrying me through the very best and very worst
A Savior so true that I never need to doubt
I find that harmony becomes a true friend to me
There are times when pride seems to say to me
Lift up your head and take what you’ve won
Believe in yourself for you have all you need
There isn’t anything you can’t do if you agree
That the truth can be found in your own mind
Where knowledge has grown since you were young
All I know to do when I sense this pride welling up
Within my being, where there are so many sins,
I ask God to help me to know just what to do
To overcome this enemy of all He longs to do
Inside of me, where His voice sings of truth
Where honoring Him, is the answer to all I hope
Living with humility, the good Shepherd’s gift to me
There are times when I don’t feel so generous
I only think of myself and what I need to feel better
It is during those moments when I measure my success
By the lies spoken by my enemy, the one who I despise
And, with time, God takes me through the worst
To delight me with a answer to all that I must yearn for
The helpfulness that beckons me to give of myself.
Through it all, the good, the bad, the best
I find purpose in harmony, humility and helpfulness
These three remind me that I am God’s child
Someone who lives to be used by His hand
To be a blessing to whoever I possibly can
These three, harmony, humility and helpfulness
Are gifts to me, sent from God’s Holy Spirit
Tribute to my Poet Angel
5/24/2025
I never espected to be blessed by a Poet Angel here.
But this is composed for him, who calms my tears and fears.
No, we two, do not get caught in that net to read each other daily!
But he’s always at my side, for immense requests, to soothe my soul, gayly!
When he comments, it is never in a hurry, like an icy, two word, stamp!
I do forget all he has done and no, boring robotic, comments are not his way.
The absence of arrogance, true friendship blooms for us~in this month of May.
Great people, like him, that make life so full, may he be blessed in everyway!
5/24/2025
Humility is not Inferiority
concluding, 'Woe is me!'
Open your heart's eye wide to see
What can I do ~ Where is my opportunity
STAND WITH A FACE OF HUMILITY
Thou curse a great angel to fall
from the heavens of glory and power,
though let man build towers for himself alone
letting him gaze on earth down.
Daggers are unknown but
they are directed to oneself
piercing six-inches deep in the heart
though made unreachacble stars of ruthless dreams,
there bete noire, implacable enemies abounds ,
occurring impossibilities cause bitter torments
art a fortress a defense for nothing, nothing?!
A sneering wall for a human being
the lowly thou had trodden down
callused feet has stepped upon.
The anon ignorant void of wisdom infuse a poison
drops dripping from temptuous cup
of sweet assurance, of self-ambition and arrogance.
A pedestal thou arts amidst life's superficial ways
a courage to lift up a haughty face
the narrow rocky roads thou dwell is full of blooms
but will the ends refrain from drowning doom?
Poor man thou hast enslaved
in thy ruthless breaking embrace
secured within thoughts of highness
knowing not where he will stay.
Above, may he think and look unto the ground,
a place of fifth to step upon
for alas he has partaken from thy cup,
so now he's done.
Thou made a distance so near
yet to very far, unreachable.
A human never a god
harsh and vicious
are the gigantic trials knocking him down
Imposing.Intimidating.Haunting. Freezing
but must they be?
Must they be or should he rather
open his eyes and flee
to the flying flicks of times?
Crepuscular are the cascading days
but always they pass epiphanies.
A heart of stone melts but
from it births the human heart
who is able to choose paths which lead them
to face the world not with pride
but with humility...
__________________________________________
Sponsor Name: Broken Wings
Contest Name: Any poem trashed in a recent contest
~~6th Place~~
Olive Eloisa Guillermo
12:38 pm. August 01, 2015
Ars Poetica
Horace circa 19 BC gave some sound advice to
poets on the art of writing poetry and drama.
The following thoughts may echo in our minds,
most likely, the intent of what he may have meant . . .
A poem may excite and delight readers with its
imagery, meaning, metaphors, and so much more
A poem may speak of “home” and what it means
to each of us as we grow up and reach adulthood
A poem may excite one’s imagination to learn
of people, places, events, and things in our world
A poem may speak to one’s emotions—
love, lust, hate, happiness, sadness, and more
A poem may speak to palpability—
touching, feeling, embracing, kissing, and more
A poem may address courage—
to stand for something meaningful against all odds
A poem may address a weakness—
cowardice, avarice, and even a temptation
A poem may address humility—
in realizing that being humble can be strength too
A poem may address faith—
believing in yourself and others, and a cosmic destiny
A poem may address morality—
as good and evil, right and wrong are with us always
A poem may address objects and images—
that tickle one’s poetic imagination and certitude
Gary Bateman, Copyright © All Rights Reserved
January 10, 2018 (Couplet)
I found myself eating grass, acting foolishly
Running with animals, untamed in the fields
One day reason was granted
This understanding was painful
Reaching out I cried for help
Then a Wind heard my plea
Took pity and carried me off
Offered protection and shelter
Gave back all that was lost
Whispered, “Oh Nebuchadnezzar”
“I’ve waited for you”
Showed how love worked
Forced my soul to hear
What was given before was nothing
Compared to what lay ahead
Miradas del destino
Rodeado con Amor
This is what is to be of this
I smile and move
Como un hombre
All of the wrongs we have done to each other,
We will overlook...
W's lawsuit against my church, because they will not permit him to smoke there,
My interminable and intolerable lateness,
J's calling me, 'pathetic',
MY frustration with W's 'INCORRECT' political opinions,
W's insults, via text message,
MY chauvinism about my religion...
J's unpleasant, unfriendly criticism...
ALL these, we will overlook...
And give each other a good ribbing!
It was my birthday 3 days ago, and W buys me breakfast,
And J gives me a birthday gift,
And we all decide to like each other again --
That is, as long as I am willing to take
A proper beating at chess... THREE TIMES!
And it's all good!
All of the wrongs, we don't mention them.
Except, I squeeze W's shoulder, when I come up, and gently remind him
That we agreed to meet on Saturday...
(They called me today, impatient -- it's Friday -- to say, they are WAITING for me)
And "...oh, did I say SATURDAY?" W asks, wryly, and we all laugh,
And it's all good!
We have forgotten the arguments.
I ask for the family news, and it's all good!
You see, each of us knows,
You cannot replace ONE Friendship, with BEING RIGHT.
So, each of us silently admits to himself
That he was wrong,
And we smile, and it's all good!
And THAT'S the Kindness of Men.
Humility and pride
1. Humility is the portal to spiritual understanding.
2. Pride is the principal obstruction to spiritual perception.
Intellect should direct us to a higher Being. Prideful thinking does not permit clear thinking; when pride gets in the way, a normally rational being is not able to perceive evidence of God in the cosmos.
John Derek Hamilton
September 23,2017
I loved her, and O! How I meant not to!
To be my dead wife's husband, and a friend
Respectful of her sister, humble, too,
And now, respect and friendship're at an end.
I thought that I could keep my feelings out
Of any interaction that we had,
I thought that I had bound them, with ropes stout
And just for feeling, now, I feel so bad!
I thought the perfect gentleman could say
'I love you', without burdening my friend
But that was not the way Reality lay,
I tried, desire, to admiration, to bend.
O! You eternal fool, who could not be
Nor silent witness, nor a still, calm sea!
Signs of humility is so very hard to find
so many pump up self think they're swell
but they forget God who constantly looks
for humble hearts, of themselves won't tell
Everywhere there are people caught in pride
Focusing on their own self-seeking desires
Never thinking of the ways to give tender care
Not reflecting on all the things that love requires
Look around everywhere to see signs
most love self, love others to beat
where's humility like Jesus would display?
Be last like Him washing others feet
Signs of pride in the heart is an easy discovery
Most of us seem to know about selfish conceit
We look around and see hearts living in defeat
Because they most often try hardest to compete
October 24, 2019
Introduction by collaboration Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Silent One
Collaboration by Gordon McConnell and Regina Riddle
Signs of humility is so very hard to find
so many pump up self think they're swell
but they forget God who constantly looks
for humble hearts, of themselves won't tell
Everywhere there are people caught in pride
Focusing on their own self-seeking desires
Never thinking of the ways to give tender care
Not reflecting on all the things that love requires
Look around everywhere to see signs
most love self, love others to beat
where's humility like Jesus would display?
Be last like Him washing others feet
Signs of pride in the heart is an easy discovery
Most of us seem to know about selfish conceit
We look around and see hearts living in defeat
Because they most often try hardest to compete
Humility is not a given take
not being a natural trait
si hard to find one that's so
few reckon it's their state
It's an amazing thing to be humble
to feel you don't make up to much
consider yourself to be the last
not first even with a simple touch
The greatest example of this
was Jesus Christ God's son
He was so humble, so meek
on trial, bowed to God's will be done
It's been said a long time ago
when you think you're humble
then you're not, for those who think
they are, that's when they stumble
Jesus left the perfect example
to follow in His way
just follow Him across your day
humble steps will be a ramble