Are you ready to ignite your inner strength and embrace your courage?
Here are 10 powerful poems that celebrate the resilience and bravery of women just like you.
These inspiring verses will uplift your spirit, reminding you that you are capable of overcoming any challenge life throws your way.
Let’s get straight to it!
My favorite powerful poem for inspiration for courageous women
#1 “Keep a-Goin” by Frank L. Stanton
If you strike a thorn or rose,
Keep a-goin’!
If it hails, or if it snows,
Keep a-goin!
‘Taint no use to sit an’ whine,
When the fish ain’t on yer line;
Bait yer hook an’ keep a-tryin’—
Keep a-goin’!
When the weather kills yer crop,
Keep a-goin’!
When you tumble from the top,
Keep a-goin’!
S’pose you’re out of every dime,
Bein’ so ain’t any crime;
Tell the world you’re feelin’ prime—
Keep a-goin’!
When it looks like all is up,
Keep a-goin’!
Drain the sweetness from the cup,
Keep a-goin’!
See the wild birds on the wing,
Hear the bells that sweetly ring,
When you feel like sighin’ sing—
Keep a-goin’!
“Keep a-Goin” by Frank L. Stanton is a powerful reminder to persevere through life’s difficulties, no matter how tough things get.
This poem resonates deeply with me because it encourages resilience and faith, urging us to keep moving forward even when the road is rough.
It emphasizes that setbacks are part of life, but with determination and a positive spirit, we can overcome them.
9 more powerful poems for inspiration for courageous women
#2 “I’ll Try” by Anonymous
“The others will laugh,” said the Bugbear,
“And ridicule you on the sly.”
“Never mind,” said Jenny Endeavor,
“I’ll try.”
“You’ll surely break down.” said the Bugbear;
“You know you are terribly shy.”
“Never mind,” said Billy Endeavor,
“I’ll try.”
“It’s really too hard,” said the Bugbear;
“You might as well venture to fly.”
“Never mind,” said Susie Endeavor,
“I’ll try.”
“Just put the thing off,” said the Bugbear.
“And others the lack will supply.”
“I’ll not,” answered Tommy Endeavor,
“I’ll try.”
#3 “Keep Sweet and Keep Movin” by Robert Jones Burdette
Homely phrase of our southland bright—
Keep steady step to the flam of the drum;
Touch to the left—eyes to the right—
Sing with the soul tho’ the lips be dumb.
Hard to be good when the wind ’s in the east;
Hard to be gay when the heart is down;
When “they that trouble you are increased,”
When you look for a smile and see a frown.
But
“Keep sweet and keep movin’.”
Sorrow will shade the blue sky gray—
Gray is the color our brothers wore;
Sunshine will scatter the clouds away;
Azure will gleam in the skies once more.
Colors of Patience and Hope are they—
Always at even in one they blend;
Tinting the heavens by night and day,
Over our hearts to the journey’s end.
Just
“Keep sweet and keep movin’.”
Hard to be sweet when the throng is dense,
When elbows jostle and shoulders crowd;
Easy to give and to take offence
When the touch is rough and the voice is loud;
“Keep to the right” in the city’s throng;
“Divide the road” on the broad highway;
There ’s one way right when everything ’s wrong;
“Easy and fair goes far in a day.”
Just
“Keep sweet and keep movin’.”
The quick taunt answers the hasty word—
The lifetime chance for a “help” is missed;
The muddiest pool is a fountain stirred,
A kind hand clenched makes an ugly fist.
When the nerves are tense and the mind is vexed,
The spark lies close to the magazine;
Whisper a hope to the soul perplexed—
Banish the fear with a smile serene—
Just
“Keep sweet and keep movin’.”
#4 “Forth From Your Past!” by Amos Russel Wells
Forth from your lowly Past! In humble wise
Up to the highest heaven lift your eyes.
No glories that the heroes ever knew
But God has placed them waiting there for you.
Forth from your evil Past! The shame and sin—
Dare now to live as they had never been.
In Jesus cleansed and in His sureness sure,
Know that the years to come are sweet und pure.
Forth from your troubled Past! How dark the days.
How dreary and perplexed your wandering waya!
Forget those fears and tears and scenes abhorred.
And enter all the joyance of your Lord.
Forth from your lonely Past! No comrade knew
Your inner warfare for the good and true;
But in the time to come till time shall end
You shall not lack a comrade and a friend.
Forth from your Past! ‘Twas given you to build
A Future from it all with blessings filled.
Enter its open gate its liberal door,
And live its happy lord for evermore.
#5 “Hope” by W. M. MacKeracher
Oh! why should sorrow wound the heart,
And rob the soul of rest?
Why is misfortune’s bitter dart
Allowed to pierce the breast?
We dare not ask; ’tis heaven’s decree,
While faring here below,
Man’s bark is tossed upon the sea
Of trouble, grief and woe.
But Mercy holdeth forth a light
Upon the waves to shine,
And cheer him in the darkest night, –
The star of Hope divine.
Enabled thus, he looks before,
And sees, Oh! joyful sight!
The waves subside, the storm is o’er,
The sky is clear and bright.
What comfort ’tis when cares annoy
To know they are from One
Whose hand dispenses peace and joy
As well as grief and pain.
Then cherish hope, despondent heart,
With strength renew the fight;
And God will gladness yet impart,
Thy darkness turn to light.
The dreary winter soon is done,
And then – the month of May!
The clouds, which now obscure the sun,
Will soon have passed away.
#6 “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud;
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.
#7 “Never Despair” by William Smith O’Brien
Never despair! Let the feeble in spirit
Bow like the willow that stoops to the blast.
Droop not in peril! ’T is manhood’s true merit
Nobly to struggle and hope to the last.
When by the sunshine of fortune forsaken
Faint sinks the heart of the feeble with fear,
Stand like the oak of the forest—unshaken,
Never despair—Boys—oh! never despair.
Never despair! Though adversity rages,
Fiercely and fell as the surge on the shore,
Firm as the rock of the ocean for ages,
Stem the rude torrent till danger is o’er.
Fate with its whirlwind our joys may all sever,
True to ourselves, we have nothing to fear.
Be this our hope and our anchor for ever—
Never despair—Boys—oh! never despair.
#8 “Persistence” by Walter Savage Landor
My hopes retire; my wishes as before
Struggle to find their resting-place in vain:
The ebbing sea thus beats against the shore;
The shore repels it; it returns again.
#9 “I Will Be Worthy of It” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
I may not reach the heights I seek,
My untried strength may fail me;
Or, half-way up the mountain peak,
Fierce tempests may assail me.
But though that place I never gain,
Herein lies comfort for my pain—
I will be worthy of it.
I may not triumph in success,
Despite my earnest labor;
I may not grasp results that bless
The efforts of my neighbor;
But though my goal I never see
This thought shall always dwell with me—
I will be worthy of it.
The golden glory of Love’s light
May never fall on my way;
My path may always lead through night,
Like some deserted by-way;
But though life’s dearest joy I miss
There lies a nameless strength in this—
I will be worthy of it.
#10 “Keep Tryin'” by Edwin C. Ranck
When you’re feelin’ blue as ink
An’ your spirits ‘gin to sink,
Don’t be weak an’ take a drink
But
Keep Tryin’.
There are times when all of us
Get riled up and start a muss,
But there ain’t no use to cuss,
Just
Keep Tryin’.
When things seem to go awry,
And the sun deserts your sky,
Don’t sit down somewhere and cry,
But
Keep Tryin’.
Everybody honors grit,
Men who never whine a bit–
Men who tell the world, “I’m IT”
And
Keep Tryin’.
Get a hustle on you NOW,
Make a great, big solemn vow
That you’ll win out anyhow,
And
Keep Tryin’.
All the world’s a battlefield
Where the true man is revealed,
But the ones who never yield
Keep Tryin’.