UNESCO first adopted 21 March as World Poetry Day during its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression.
As poetry’s such a powerful way of communicating mindfulness themes and attitudes, we’re delighted to share a selection of our teachers’ favourites, which often feature in our Live Online Meditation Sessions. We hope these pieces inspire you too.
Rima’s choice: Wendell Berry’s
The Peace of Wild Things
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound…
Rima Saad Hochreiter: ‘Here’s one I really love, because it’s a reminder of the choices available to us when we experience worrying and anxious thoughts, and how connecting back to our direct experience (especially in nature) is remarkably healing!’
Katia’s choice: Brooke Hampton’s
I’m busy
I’m busy;
but not in the way
most people accept.
I’m busy calming my fear
and finding my courage.
I’m busy listening to my kids.
I’m busy getting in touch
with what is real.
I’m busy growing things and
connecting with the natural world.
I’m busy questioning my answers.
I’m busy being present in my life.
Reproduced by permission of Brooke Hampton
Katia Wellausen Picada: ‘This poem is about doing something different, being curious about how I spend my time, and really reflect on the things that are worth being busy with.’
Katia’s choice: Author Unknown
Everything is possible
Don’t get upset with people or situations,
because both are powerless without your reaction.
You will be amazed at how things magically fall into place
once you let go of the illusion of control.
A lot of the pain we deal with are really only thoughts.
It takes courage to endure the sharp pains of self-discovery
rather than choose the dull pain of unconsciousness that would last the rest of our lives.
The inspiration you seek is already within you, be silent and listen.
Because you are alive, everything is possible.
Katia Wellausen Picada: ‘This poem seems so true to me. And at the same time I forget about it. It really gives strength to continue the self-discovery journey I embarked on.’
“Practiced throughout history – in every culture and on every continent – poetry speaks to our common humanity and our shared values, transforming the simplest of poems into a powerful catalyst for dialogue and peace.” – UNESCO
Wei’s choice: C. P. Cavafy’s
Ithaka
As you set out for Ithaka
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery…
Wei Zhao: This poem gave me much consolation and encouragement when I was struggling with my dissertation and work, amidst the sense of being stranded and lost during the pandemic. I remember whispering to myself “Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you wouldn’t have set out.” In moments of self-doubt and anxiety, the poem made it possible for me to see that the journey is as important as the destination.
Susie’s choice: Tony Hoagland’s
The Word
Down near the bottom
of the crossed-out list
of things you have to do today,
between “green thread”
and “broccoli,” you find
that you have penciled “sunlight.”
Susie Stead: I love this poem because it feels like a gift of sunlight, so gently offered. Someone is lovingly catching me out, giving me permission to let a burden down and receive something beautiful. When I read it, my body physically relaxes and something eases inside me.
Shiv’s choice: Per Norrgren’s
The Quiet Knowing
There is a quiet voice,
soft as morning mist over fields,
that knows your worth
like the roots of trees know the earth,
invisible but steady, holding on.
In the press of day, amidst the noise
of tasks, the hum of names and titles,
that voice speaks not in volume
but in presence, reminding you
you are not only what you do
but the one who brings
all that you are, tender and whole,
to each small moment.
You have shaped the ground you stand upon,
your footsteps leaving traces
of strength, of care, of seeing.
No title can capture
the way you lean in to listen,
the way you lift your head in laughter,
the way you honour another’s voice
with your own silence.
Remember, you do not owe your worth
to any moment’s outcome—
not to applause or to silence,
not to what is unfinished
or what is well done.
You are already
the gift given.
Here, in the knowing of your own heart,
in the gentleness that touches
each word, each breath,
in the soft gathering of yourself
when the day is done,
there is a strength that is yours,
unchanging and true,
as steady as the roots
that anchor the trees,
invisible but present,
holding on, holding you.
Shiv Chawla: The Quiet Knowing, by Per Norrgren resonates deeply with me because it reminds us that our worth is not tied to external achievements or validation. Your mere presence in the world is a ‘gift’ enough! You are enough. I often share it with my participants to help them embrace their unique sense of self and accompanying moment-by-moment experience, from a place of deeper self-compassion, non-judgment and gratitude.
Zeynep’s choice: Karen Maezen Miller’s
Who turns?
Who turns this into that?
Sound into noise?
Aroma into odor?
Taste into pleasure or disgust?
Zeynep Akdoğan: This poem resonates deeply with me because it serves as a reminder of how our interpretations shape each moment of our experience. It highlights the power of choice, showing that, in any given moment, we have the ability to turn in a different direction—shifting our perspective and transforming our relationship with what arises.
