25 Poems For Teenagers

Encouraging poems for teenagers about strength, resilience, kindness, and self-belief.

You are stronger than your struggles, braver than your doubts, and capable of more than you know. Keep going - your future is bright!

Short Poems & Quotes  |   Poems Of Encouragement   |   Poems For Teenagers

Updated March 6, 2025, by Catherine Pulsifer


The teenage years are a time of discovery, growth, and change. It’s a stage in life where you start to shape who you are, face new challenges, and dream about the future. There are moments of joy, excitement, and laughter—but also times of uncertainty, self-doubt, and pressure. Whether it’s navigating friendships, overcoming setbacks, or simply trying to find your place in the world, these years can feel like a rollercoaster.

But know this—you are not alone. The words of poetry can be a source of encouragement, strength, and wisdom. These poems are here to remind you that you are capable, resilient, and worthy. They speak of courage in the face of fear, the power of kindness, and the importance of staying true to yourself.

Let these verses inspire you, uplift you, and remind you that no matter what you face, you have the strength to rise, to grow, and to shine.



  1. You Are Stronger Than You Know

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    The pressure builds, the days feel long,
    You try so hard to just stay strong.
    So much to do, so much to be,
    But don’t forget to care for you and me.

    A single step, a breath so deep,
    Let go of worries that make you weep.
    Mistakes will come, but that’s alright,
    You’ll find your way, you’ll see the light.

    Your worth’s not set by grades or speed,
    You’re more than tasks or what you need.
    Take a break, don’t run so fast,
    These moments now, they will not last.

    So lift your head, don’t feel alone,
    You have more strength than you have shown.
    Tomorrow’s fresh, a brand-new start,
    Face it all with hopeful heart.




  2. Fear Won’t Win

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    Fear will whisper, you can’t do this,
    Filling your mind with doubt and abyss.
    But don’t believe the lies you hear,
    You have the strength to persevere.

    Each challenge faced will help you grow,
    More than you can even know.
    Take a step, then one more too,
    Confidence will rise in you.

    So stand up tall and face the fight,
    Darkness fades with even light.
    Believe in you, push past the fear,
    Your strength is greater than it appears.



  3. Believe in you, push past the fear, Your strength is greater than it appears.
    Poems About Strength



  4. Stay True to You

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    They’ll push and pull, say just give in,
    Convince you wrong is not a sin.
    But deep inside, you’ll always know,
    What’s right, what’s real, will truly show.

    The path you choose is yours alone,
    You set the tone, you carve the stone.
    Stand up strong, don’t follow blind,
    Keep your values, keep your mind.

    Respect yourself, don’t change for them,
    True friends will shine, not fade or dim.
    Stay true to you in all you do,
    The right ones will stand strong with you.




  5. Choose Kindness

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    Words can hurt, they cut so deep,
    They haunt the mind, they steal our sleep.
    But kindness heals, it lifts, it mends,
    A simple act can change a friend.

    So stand up tall, don’t walk away,
    A voice of hope can save the day.
    Treat others well, let kindness shine,
    The world needs hearts as strong as thine.



  6. So stand up tall, don’t walk away, A voice of hope can save the day.
    Poems About Resilience



  7. Choose Your Friends Wisely

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    Some will smile but tell you lies,
    Say they're true, yet wear disguise.
    They stand so close when times are bright,
    But disappear in stormy nights.

    A real friend stays through highs and lows,
    Supports your dreams, helps you grow.
    They speak the truth, they show they care,
    Through ups and downs, they’re always there.

    So choose your friends with careful thought,
    Not by words, but what they’ve brought.
    True ones lift, they stand so true,
    And in return, be that friend too.




  8. Teenage Years

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    Oh teenage years, I remember them so
    There were happy days and days I felt so low
    There were days life was a roller coaster ride
    Back and forth like the ocean's tides.

    Oh teenage years they were the best
    We have fun even when there was a test
    Most of the time we would study hard
    But we made time for playing ball in the yard.

    Oh teenage years I had many a worry
    And life seemed slow, never in a hurry
    Looking back I now realize
    Many of my worries never materialize.

    Being a teenager means growing up
    Even drinking coffee in a cup
    You will look back and find
    The best days will be in your mind!

    So don't take life to seriously
    Appreciate friends and family
    Set your goals and believe in you
    And to yourself always stay true!



  9. Set your goals and believe in you And to yourself always stay true!
    Poems about Being Yourself



  10. Don't Give Up

    Poet: Unknown

    Don't give up hope when you are down,
    For you must fight to be a man;
    Determination wins the crown,
    So rise again and say, "I CAN!"

    The wear and tear you get from life
    Builds character ... as tempered steel;
    The knocks you get that bring you strife
    Are boosts that bring a squarer deal.

    The changes that await for you
    Are, too, the ones that I have faced,
    So grit your teeth, you'll come on through,
    And tarry not to be disgraced.

    Heartbreaks and grief will come your way;
    They're aftermaths of death and love.
    But you can bravely face that day
    If you believe in powers above.

    Don't think that you're the only one
    Who's been ordained to suffer so.
    For there are others who must run
    A race that's tougher . . . this I know.

    Objectives that you have desired
    To someday reach and linger there,
    Must be ambitions that are fired
    With manliness, rebuilt to wear.

    The gutters and the bow'ry streets.
    Where all day long the beggars chant,
    Are good examples of defeats,
    For these are men who've said, 'I CAN'T!"

    The architect. , . the builder, too;
    The dreamer who promotes the plan,
    Are good examples of the few
    That strived and won and said, "I CAN!"

    If others can achieve an aim,
    Though goings, now and then are tough —
    You, too, can win at this great game,
    Because you've got the selfsame stuff.



  11. Don't give up hope when you are down
    Poems About Hope



  12. The Other Cheek

    Poet: Unknown

    Pretty irritations,
    Clog the stream of life.
    Causing much unhappiness
    And a lot of strife.

    To keep the life stream flowing
    Free of wrath and hate.
    When unkind words are spoken
    Do not retaliate.




  13. Holdfast!

    Poet: Unknown

    Just cling to your good thoughts and make them last,
    They're dividend paying stocks;
    So just grit your teeth and to Good, hold fast!
    When it looks like you're on the rocks.

    There was never a cloud could hide the sun
    For more than a day or two;
    So don't be so ready to quit and run,
    When adversity comes to you.

    It's the person who can keep his thoughts on Good
    That wins, when the clouds have passed;
    So shun the evil suggestions that would
    Bring you nothing but grief — Hold Fast!



  14. So don't be so ready to quit and run, When adversity comes to you.
    Don't Quit Poem



  15. Failure’s Not the End

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    Mistakes will come, but don’t lose sight,
    Each one can help to guide you right.
    Failure’s not the end, you’ll see,
    It builds your strength, it sets you free.

    So rise again, don’t dwell too long,
    Keep moving forward, stay so strong.
    Every lesson helps you grow,
    Success will come—just take it slow.




  16. The Mender

    Poet: Unknown

    To you who ask: "'Tis Life Worth While?"
    I'd gladly teach by showing
    The way to wear a cheerful smile
    As down Life's trail you're going,
    To see the beauty through the muck,
    That tears make smiles the sweeter,
    To stop and aid the man who's stuck —
    Should your foot be fleeter.

    You'd find I know this simple plan
    A means of better living,
    That happiness rewards the man
    Whose life is spent in giving,
    That smiles shall be with smiles repaid,
    That squallor bows to beauty.
    And too, that life is better made
    If faced as sacred duty.

    To you who doubt the worth of life,
    This sound advice I tender;
    If you've betorn yourself with strife.
    You too, can be the mender.




  17. A Little Goes a Long Way

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    A smile, a word, a helping hand,
    Small acts of kindness, not so grand.
    Yet in a world that feels so cold,
    These little things shine bright as gold.

    You never know the joy you bring,
    The hope that makes a sad heart sing.
    So choose to give, be kind, be true,
    A better world starts first with you.



  18. So choose to give, be kind, be true, A better world starts first with you.
    Life Choices Poems



  19. The Bright Side Out

    Poet: George W. Davis

    When you feel life but a burden.
    When your way is overcast.
    When the day is full of trials.
    With new dangers thickening fast;
    Think then of the lark a-singing
    As she gaily soars about;
    Sure enough she has her troubles.
    Yet she keeps the bright side out.

    All the world is full of sorrow,
    Full of heartaches and of fears.
    Full of lonesomeness and sadness.
    Full of partings and of tears;
    So it needs a something different,
    That will put despair to rout;
    That is why it hails the brother
    Who will keep the bright side out.

    Never mind the little setbacks,
    Never mind the crushing blow,
    Never mind about tomorrow —
    Keep a-singing as you go.
    Though your heart may have misgivings
    Bravely hide away your doubt,
    For you surely cheer some other
    When you keep the bright side out.



  20. For you surely cheer some other  When you keep the bright side out.
    Positive Poems



  21. Your Chance

    Poet: Edwin Markham

    To each one is given a marble to carve for the wall;
    A stone that is needed to heighten the beauty of all;
    And only his soul has the magic to give it grace;
    And only his hands have the cunning to put it in place -
    Yes, the task that is given to each one, no other can do; -
    So the errand is waiting;
    It has waited through ages for you.
    And now you appear:
    And the hushed ones are turning their gaze,
    To see what you do with your chance in the chamber of days.




  22. Let's Be Kind

    Poet: Unknown

    As we journey down the road,
    Let us share each other's load,
    Let's be kind.

    We are comrades on the way,
    Going whither none can say,
    Long the night, but while it's day,
    Let's be kind.

    At its best the road is steep,
    And a little cheer is cheap;
    Pass it out, it helps a heap;
    Let's be kind.




  23. As we journey down the road, Let us share each other's load, Let's be kind.
    Kindness Poems



  24. Two Kinds Of People

    Poet: Ella Wheeler Wilcox

    There are two kinds of people on earth today,
    Just two kinds of people — no more I say,
    Not the good and the bad, for 'tis well understood
    The good are half bad and the bad half good,
    Nor the rich and the poor, for to count a man's wealth
    You must know how the state of his conscience, and health

    No, the two kinds of people on earth that I mean
    Are the people who lift, and the people who lean
    Wherever you go, you will find the world's masses
    Are divided in just these two classes.
    And, oddly enough, you will find, I ween,
    There is only one lifter to twenty who lean.

    In which class are you? Are you easing the load
    Of overtaxed lifters who toil down the road?

    Or are you a leaner who lets others bear
    Your portion of labor and worry and care?




  25. Believe

    Author Unknown

    Believe that you can —
    and you will not fail, though great be the task begun.

    Believe that you can —
    though hard the trail, and rugged the road you run.

    Have faith in yourself.
    Just know that you can and you're simply bound to do;
    and never a barrier, bar or ban can keep you from carrying through.

    Believe in yourself and then go in and work with your heart and soul.
    Believe in yourself and you'll surely win, no matter how far your goal.
    There's a marvelous force in the faith that springs from this great and noble thought;
    by the magic spell of strength it brings the greatest of all deeds are wrought.

    Believe in your soul that you will succeed.
    For as sure as you hold this thought, you will back your faith with power of deed, 'till the last hard fight is fought!

    Aye, hold to that thought and you'll do your part in the way that it should be done.
    Just start with a winner's confident heart, and your battle is really won!

    So go to it, and hit your stride, and never falter or turn aside 'til the whole long course is run.

    You may not be brilliant, or clever, or smart; you may not be fast of pace,
    but if you have grit and a confident heart you surely will win the race.



  26. if you have grit and a confident heart you surely will win the race
    Poems About Life Struggles



  27. All Is Well

    Poet: Arthur Hugh Clough

    Whate'er you dream with doubt possessed,
    Keep, keep it snug within your breast,
    And lay you down and take your rest;
    Forget in sleep the doubt and pain.
    And when you wake, to work again.
    The wind it blows, the vessel goes.

    And where and whither, no one knows.
    'Twill all be well: no need of care;
    Though how it will, and when, and where,
    We cannot see, and can't declare.
    In spite of dreams, in spite of thought,
    'Tis not in vain, and not for nought.
    The wind blows, the ship it goes,
    Though where and whither, no one knows.




  28. The Other Fellow

    Poet: Unknown

    Through our eyes the other fellow
    Oft appears as someone strange
    Someone that we cannot fathom,
    Someone we would like to change.
    Something of ourselves we vision

    When we look at other men,
    Oft their faults are ours for mending,
    By our quite superior ken.
    Know then when we judge adversely
    When our thoughts condemning roam,
    That reform had best be started,
    In ourselves and right at home




  29. Yesterdays

    Poet: Unknown

    Our yesterdays, all of them gone;
    What is left in their wake?
    Give to yourself an honest response.
    Just for your own sake.
    Each Yesterday's dawn had dreams
    Of accomplishments won.
    Is its memory a rebuke,
    Or praise for work well done?

    All Tomorrows are Yesterdays
    Not yet arrived.
    Will Tommorrows' intentions
    Be fulfilled or deprived?
    There is only one method
    To assure success.
    Leave nothing to Fate
    Or foolish human's guess.

    Each Today we must feel
    We have not another chance,
    Every thought, word and deed
    We must live to enhance;
    For by living each Today
    As though it were Tomorrow,
    All Yesterdays to come
    Will have naught to cause sorrow.




  30. Unselfishness

    by J. R. Miller

    Unselfishness,
    even in its smallest acts and manifestations,
    costs some sacrifice.

    Work for others which costs us nothing' is scarcely worth doing.
    It takes heart blood to heal hearts.

    It is those who sow in tears that shall reap in joy.

    Take easy work if, you will, work that costs nothing;
    give only what you will not miss;
    spare yourself from self-denial and waste and sacrifice;
    but be not surprised if your hands are empty in the harvest time.
    We must give if we are to receive.



  31. We must give if we are to receive.
    Giving Poems



  32. Choose Your Companions Well

    by Unknown

    Do not draw into your shell.
    So much is to be gained by contact with the outside world.
    The influence of the social current has the same effect upon human nature
    as that produced by the constant friction of the sea upon the pebbles on the beach.
    Rough corners are polished and angles smoothed down into symmetrical proportions.

    But it is not enough to be simply in the swim.
    If you wish to be happy, cultivate that society which elevates and ennobles.
    Seek relaxation for mind and body among a set of people who hold broad views of living.
    Narrow-minded men and women, and the world is full of them,
    will only give you distorted ideas of life,
    ideas that will change the sunniest and most healthful disposition
    into one morose, churlish and ill-natured.
    Be careful then, whom you choose for your companions.




  33. Family Stays

    Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

    At times we fight, we don’t agree,
    We wish that they would let us be.
    But through the highs and through the lows,
    Their love is there—it always shows.

    So take a moment, show you care,
    A simple word, a smile to share.
    Through every storm, through every phase,
    Family stays—through all our days.



  34. Through every storm, through every phase, Family stays—through all our days.
    Poems About Family



  35. Your Outlook

    Poet: Joan Somerset

    Grumble? No; what's the good?
    If it availed, I would;
    But it doesn't, not a bit,
    Not it.

    Laugh? Yes; why not?
    'Tis better than crying, a lot;
    We were made to be glad,
    Not sad.

    Sing? Why, yes, to be sure;
    We shall better endure
    If the heart is full of song
    All day long.




  36. A Recipe For Happiness

    Poet: Unknown

    Patience, justice, mercy, truth
    All the pleasures found in youth
    Joy and hope and courage strong
    Mixed with love your whole life long,
    Stir till smooth; in large mold cast.
    From this mixture comes at last,
    Charming in its power to bless,
    Lovely, star-crowned happiness.


Related Pages:

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Poems About Life - Life brings lessons, laughter, and challenges. These poems will inspire you to keep moving forward, embracing both the ups and downs along the way.

You Decide - Every choice shapes your path. Discover words of wisdom that remind you that your decisions today will guide your tomorrow.

Encouragement Quotes - When life feels uncertain, encouragement can lift your spirit. Find the motivation to keep going, stay strong, and never give up.

Disappointment Poems - Setbacks are part of life, but they don’t define you. These poems will remind you that after every disappointment, hope and strength can rise again.

Positive Thoughts - A positive mindset can change everything. Let these uplifting thoughts help you see the good, even on the hardest days.

Poems About Dreams - Your dreams matter. These poems will encourage you to chase them with courage, determination, and unwavering belief in yourself.

Poems About School - School brings lessons beyond books. These poems capture the friendships, growth, and moments that shape your journey.

Graduation Poems - Graduation marks a new beginning. These poems celebrate achievements, inspire confidence, and remind you that the best is yet to come.




The choices you make today shape the person you become tomorrow. Stay true to yourself, chase your dreams, and never stop believing in your own potential.

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