As a woman, I know that life can present us with numerous challenges and obstacles.
There are moments when we all need a reminder of our strength and resilience, and poetry has a unique way of delivering that inspiration.
Here are 10 encouraging poems for women empowerment, each crafted to ignite your inner strength and inspire you on your journey.
Let’s dive in!
My favorite poem for women empowerment
#1 “A True Woman” by William Wordsworth
She was a phantom of delight
When first she gleamed upon my sight;
A lovely apparition, sent
To be a moment’s ornament;
Her eyes as stars of twilight fair,
Like twilight’s, too, her dusky hair;
But all things else about her drawn
From May-time and the cheerful dawn
A dancing shape, an image gay,
To haunt, to startle , and waylay.
I saw her upon nearer view,
A spirit, yet a woman too!
Her household motions light and free,
And steps of virgin liberty;
A countenance in which did meet
Sweet records, promises as sweet;
A creature not too bright or good
For human nature’s daily food,
For transient sorrows, simple wiles,
Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles.
And now I see with eye serene
The very pulse of the machine;
Abeing breathing thoughtful breath,
Atraveller betwixt life and death;
The reason firm, the temperate will,
Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill;
A perfect woman, nobly planned,
To warn, to comfort, and command;
And yet a spirit still, and bright
With something of an angel light.
This poem is my favorite on women empowerment because it beautifully captures the strength and grace of women.
It celebrates their ability to inspire and uplift while acknowledging their humanity and resilience.
The imagery highlights both their delicate nature and powerful presence, reminding us of the incredible spirit within every woman.
9 more poems for women empowerment
#2 “The Bride” by Sappho (Percy Osborn, Translator)
None so lovely, none
E’er beheld the sun;
Bridegroom, where O where
Bloomed a bride so fair?
None is like her, none!
#3 “The Protected Sex” by Alice Duer Miller
There, little girl, don’t read,
You’re fond of your books, I know,
But Brother might mope
If he had no hope
Of getting ahead of you.
It’s dull for a boy who cannot lead.
There, little girl, don’t read.
#4 “Warning to Suffragists” by Alice Duer Miller
They must sacrifice their beauty
Who would do their civic duty,
Who the polling booth would enter,
Who the ballot box would use;
As they drop their ballots in it
Men and women in a minute,
Lose their charm, the antis tell us,
But—the men have less to lose.
#5 “A Lady” by Amy Lowell
You are beautiful and faded,
Like an old opera tune
Played upon a harpsichord;
Or like the sun-flooded silks
Of an eighteenth-century boudoir. In your eyes
Smoulder the fallen roses of outlived minutes,
And the perfume of your soul
Is vague and suffusing,
With the pungence of sealed spice-jars.
Your half-tones delight me,
And I grow mad with gazing
At your blent colors.
My vigor is a new-minted penny,
Which I cast at your feet.
Gather it up from the dust
That its sparkle may amuse you.
#6 “Women of To-day” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
You women of today who fear so much
The women of the future, showing how
The dangers of her course are such and such–
What are you now?
Mothers and Wives and Housekeepers, forsooth!
Great names, you cry, full scope to rule and please,
Room for wise age and energetic youth!–
But are you these?
Housekeepers? Do you then, like those of yore,
Keep house with power and pride, with grace and ease?
No, you keep servants only! What is more–
You don’t keep these!
Wives, say you? Wives! Blessed indeed are they
Who hold of love the everlasting keys,
Keeping your husbands’ hearts! Alas the day!
You don’t keep these!
And mothers? Pitying Heaven! Mark the cry
From cradle death-beds! Mothers on their knees!
Why, half the children born, as children, die!
You don’t keep these!
And still the wailing babies come and go,
And homes are waste, and husband’s hearts fly far;
There is no hope until you dare to know
The thing you are!
#7 “Advice to the Girls” by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
Nay, do not blush! I only heard
You had a mind to marry;
I thought I’d speak a friendly word,
So just one moment tarry.
Wed not a man whose merit lies
In things of outward show,
In raven hair or flashing eyes,
That please your fancy so.
But marry one who’s good and kind,
And free from all pretence;
Who, if without a gifted mine,
At least has common sense.
#8 “The Bravery of Battles” by Joaquin Miller
The bravest battle that ever was fought,
Shall I tell you where and when?
On the maps of the world you’ll find it not,
“Twas fought by the mothers of men.
Nay, not with cannon or battle shot,
With sword or noble pen;
Nay, not with eloquent word or thought,
From the mouths of wonderful men.
But deep in the walled- up woman’s heart—
Of woman that would not yield,
But bravely, silently bore her part—
Lo! there is the battlefield.
No marshalling troop, no bivouac song,
No banner to gleam and wave!
But 0, these battles! they last so long,
From babyhood to the grave.
#9 “Womanhood” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
She must be honest, both in thought and deed,
Of generous impulse, and above all greed;
Not seeking praise, or place, or power, or pelf,
But life’s best blessings for her higher self,
Which means the best for all.
She must have faith,
To make good friends of Trouble, Pain, and Death,
And understand their message.
She should be
As redolent with tender sympathy
As is a rose with fragrance.
Cheerfulness
Should be her mantle, even though her dress
May be of Sorrow’s weaving.
On her face
A loyal nature leaves its seal of grace,
And chastity is in her atmosphere.
Not that chill chastity which seems austere
Like untrod snow-peaks, lovely to behold
Till once attained – then barren, loveless, cold);
But the white flame that feeds upon the soul
And lights the pathway to a peaceful goal.
A sense of humour, and a touch of mirth,
To brighten up the shadowy spots of earth;
And pride that passes evil – choosing good.
All these unite in perfect womanhood.
#10 “We As Women” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
There‘s a cry in the air about us–
We hear it, before, behind–
Of the way in which “We, as women,”
Are going to lift mankind!
With our white frocks starched and ruffled,
And our soft hair brushed and curled–
Hats off! for “We, as women,”
Are coming to save the world.
Fair sisters! listen one moment–
And perhaps you‘ll pause for ten:
The business of women as women
Is only with men as men!
What we do, “We, as women,”
We have done all through our life;
The work that is ours as women
Is the work of mother and wife.
But to elevate public opinion,
And to lift up erring man,
Is the work of the Human Being;
Let us do it–if we can.
But wait, warm-hearted sisters–
Not quite so fast, so far.
Tell me how we are going to lift a thing
Any higher than we are!
We are going to “purify politics,”
And to “elevate the press.”
We enter the foul paths of the world
To sweeten and cleanse and bless.
To hear the high things we are going to do,
And the horrors of man we tell,
One would think, “We, as women,” were angels,
And our brothers were fiends of hell.
We, that were born of one mother,
And reared in the self-same place,
In the school and the church together,
We of one blood, one race!
Now then, all forward together!
But remember, every one,
That ‘tis not by feminine innocence
The work of the world is done.
The world needs strength and courage,
And wisdom to help and feed–
When, “We, as women” bring these to man,
We shall lift the world indeed.