Living without regret is one of the most liberating philosophies of life. Rather than dwelling on mistakes or missed opportunities, it’s about embracing experiences, learning from them, and choosing to move forward with intention. Poetry is especially suited to explore this mindset—each line becomes a reminder that we can live boldly, love deeply, and grow endlessly. Below are 11 poems that beautifully capture the essence of living life without regrets, each one offering a unique perspective on what it means to let go and live fully.
11 Powerful Poems That Inspire Living Life Without Regrets
1. “Of Cascadia” by Sam Hamill
Sam Hamill, co-founder of Copper Canyon Press, brings meditative clarity to this poem, which quietly affirms a life lived without remorse or yearning for do-overs.
“Let the ferns and the moss remember
all that I have lost or loved, for I carry
no regrets, no ambition to live it
all again.”
These lines acknowledge memory and loss but emphasize peace and acceptance.
Source: “Of Cascadia” by Sam Hamill, in Habitation: Collected Poems (Lost Horse Press, 2014).
2. “Living With No Regrets” by Kerrie Lee Brown
In this poem, Kerrie Lee Brown urges us to look back only to grow stronger and to live with purpose in the face of adversity.
“Looking back
Remembering it all
Are tests we are meant to conquer in time
Because real growth comes from the heart.”
The poem is a reminder that our past is not a burden—it is a foundation for resilience.
Source: “Living With No Regrets” by Kerrie Lee Brown (author and wellness advocate).
3. “Live With No Regrets” by David Chin
David Chin’s brief and bold poem is a manifesto for being fully present.
“Don’t look back on your past experiences.
Don’t plan for the future.
Don’t prepare for what ifs.
Don’t prepare for maybes.
Live with no regrets.”
Chin encourages readers to focus on today rather than the “what could have been.”
Source: “Live With No Regrets” by David Chin.
4. “Live Your Life With No Regrets” by Leanna Markgraf
This uplifting poem motivates readers to act with bravery and pursue their dreams wholeheartedly.
“Live each day with a purpose
Do what you want to do.
Dream big dreams
and fight to make them true.”
The tone is clear: to live without regrets, we must chase our purpose with courage.
Source: “Live Your Life With No Regrets” by Leanna Markgraf.
5. “No Regrets” by Robert Nissenbaum
Robert Nissenbaum reflects on the complex beauty of life, acknowledging that even mistakes and detours shape the happiness we eventually find.
“Whether I’d make or take them again,
I have been led to where I am now.
So I cannot have regrets.
Because today, I am happy.”
He reminds us that regret fades when we accept where we are with gratitude.
Source: “No Regrets” by Robert Nissenbaum.
6. “No Regrets” by Reddit User u/PoeticSoul
A contemporary piece from an online poet, this poem celebrates agency and self-ownership.
“No regrets, no second guess,
She holds her heart with soft finesse.
For every choice was hers to make,
A path she carved, no need to fake.”
It reflects empowerment through choice, even when the outcome is uncertain.
Source: “No Regrets” by Reddit user u/PoeticSoul.
7. “Collude” by Bhanu Kapil
Experimental and introspective, Kapil’s poem is about leaving behind emotional patterns rooted in despair and regret.
“…living a life in which I no longer colluded with modes of despair and regret.”
She challenges readers to liberate themselves from self-imposed suffering.
Source: “Collude” from Ban en Banlieue by Bhanu Kapil (Nightboat Books, 2015).
8. “The Farewell” by Kahlil Gibran
This prose-poem offers a spiritual perspective on acceptance and transformation.
“Yet you shall not deplore having known blindness, nor regret having been deaf.”
Gibran reminds us that even pain and hardship can hold meaning and beauty.
Source: “The Farewell” from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran (Alfred A. Knopf, 1923).
9. “On Living” by Nâzim Hikmet
Hikmet’s iconic poem is a passionate ode to living with intensity and clarity.
“Living is no laughing matter:
you must live with great seriousness
like a squirrel, for example—
I mean without looking for something beyond and above living.”
He insists that to live fully is an act of reverence.
Source: “On Living” by Nâzim Hikmet, translated by Randy Blasing and Mutlu Konuk (Persea Books, 2002).
10. “Keys” by Vivian Yeiser Laramore
Laramore uses the metaphor of closing a door on the past to show the freedom found in release.
“I’ve shut the door on Yesterday,
Its sorrows and mistakes;
I’ve locked within its gloomy walls
Past failures and heartaches.”
The poem is gentle yet firm in its resolve to let go.
Source: “Keys” by Vivian Yeiser Laramore (circulated in American anthologies of the early 20th century).
11. “House of Unending” by J. Michael Martinez
Martinez writes with lyrical abstraction about personal transformation, suggesting that regret has no home in a life of self-acceptance.
“& live without regret for your guilty pleas.”
The line is both confession and command—a call to forgive oneself.
Source: “House of Unending” by J. Michael Martinez (University of Arizona Press, 2018).
Conclusion
These poems—varied in tone, style, and structure—all illuminate one core idea: life, when lived authentically, leaves no room for regret. We are not meant to be perfect. We are meant to be present.
From Sam Hamill’s acceptance of life’s impermanence to Kahlil Gibran’s spiritual detachment, each poet reaffirms that regret is not necessary for growth. The key is intention. Mistakes, when approached with compassion and reflection, can lead to wisdom. Choices, even when questioned, form the shape of who we become.
Living with no regrets does not mean we never falter. It means we choose to keep moving, learning, loving, and living.
Let poetry be your guide. Let the lines above whisper courage into your quiet moments. Let them be your companions as you choose, each day, to live with fullness—and without regret.
