The Retirement Poems Café

A Comprehensive Collection of Retirement Poems, Retirement Quotes, Retirement Letters, Retirement Jokes, Retirement Gifts, and Retirement Speeches
Selections by Ernie J. Zelinski
Author of How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free
 

 

The Retirement Poems Café

(Traditional and Modern Inspirational Retirement Poems)

Welcome to The Retirement Poems Café, the webpage that brings you the best inspirational retirement poems for the retired or soon-to-be retired man, woman, teacher, school principal, nurse, military person, soldier, policeman, firefighter, pastor, letter carrier, etc. Best of all, these are all free retirement poems that you can use as ideas to write your  own.

 

Retirement Poem Image - Two Retired People at the Beach

Traditional Retirement Poem

Here is a retirement poem to inspire you to greater heights, regardless of your age and your occupation:

Come, my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved the earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
— from Ulysses by Alfred Tennyson

 

Three Modern Retirement Poems

You can always pen your own retirement poems either about yourself or for someone else. If written for a retiring colleague, your retirement poems should express affection for the person leaving
and recognition for their contributions. Here is a short corny retirement poem written for a retiring colleague:

Bill Hagen, work is now past you
Allow me these words to say
You are now free as a bird,
Today is your retirement day.

Dave Erhard

Retirement is the time of your life
for you to be
all that you planned to be.
To live life for the moment
to live happy, wild, and free.
Dave Erhard

Here is a retirement poem of a different nature:

 
Retirement Poem about the Right
Retirement Gift to Give to Retirees

You can say it with flowers
You can say it with wine
But to make her stinkin' sentimental
Say it with a Lincoln Continental.
Robert Byrne

Funny Retirement Poems

Here is a retirement poem that hopefully won't deject you too much about your upcoming retirement:

An Ode to Old Age

There's quite an art to falling apart as the years go by,
And life doesn't begin at 40.

That's a big fat lie.
My hair's getting thinner, my body is not:
The few teeth I have are beginning to rot.

I smell of Vick's Vapo Rub, not Chanel #5;
My new pacemaker's all that keeps me alive.
When asked of my past, every detail I'll know,
But, what was I doing 10 minutes ago?

Well, you get the idea, what more can I say?
I'm off to read the obituary, like I do every day;
If my names there, I'll once again start -
perfecting the art of falling apart.

Unknown Wise Person

 

A Modern Retirement Poem for

an Employees Retirement Party

Here is a retirement poem that is a little more  positive about being retired whether you are looking for teacher retirement poems, principal retirement poems, or general humorous being retired poems.:

Making the Most of Retirement

Goodbye to work, you are on a high — you don't have to ask why!

You now gladly say adieu to your working life — goodbye to toil and strife.

Tomorrow, when morning comes at noon, you will lie in bed and look up at the ceiling.

There will be no one there to give you orders or more work — what a great feeling.

As the noon sun shines through your window, you will hear a dog bark and the noise of someone's feet.

It's the letter carrier, poor working soul, delivering your mail, you can hear him in the street.

Within you will come a warming glow — your new life will have just begun.

This is the day that you have looked forward to — knowing that all your work has been done.

Shortly, you will arise, get dressed, relax — there's still time left in the day for much merry-making.

You will make the most of it — knowing that most of your friends are at work stressed and mentally aching.

Will there be any reason to feel any stress or guilt at this time of your life?

Only when you forget to wake up early and make breakfast for your poor working wife.

Dave Erhard

 

Retirement Poems Image - 3 Retired Ladies in Red Hats

 

Traditional Poem to Help You Enjoy Your Retirement Living

The following words of this poem were penned over 100 years ago by poet and writer Rudyard Kipling (perhaps better known for creating The Jungle Book:

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who."
Rudyard Kipling

Of course, this is not a retirement poem in the strictest sense of the term. This poem, however, can provide the ideas and basis for creating the retirement poem for a school principal, teacher retirement poems, etc. or for motivating you to enjoy your retirement years.

 

A Modern Retirement Poem

Irish Retirement Blessing

The origins of this Irish Poem about retirement is unknown:

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
Irish Retirement Blessing

 

More Free Retirement Poems Four

Retirement Poems by Famous People

Here are four retirement poems by famous people:

 

#1 of Four Retirement Poems

by Famous People

 

An elegant sufficiency, content,
Retirement, rural quiet, friendship, books,
Ease and alternate labour, useful life,
Progressive virtue, and approving Heaven!
James Thomson, 1700-1748, Spring

 

#2 of Four Retirement Poems

by Famous People

Don't you stay at home of evenings?
Don't you love a cushioned seat
In a corner, by the fireside, with your slippers on your feet?
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr

 

#3 of Four Retirement Poems

by Famous People

Fear no more the heat o' th' sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages.
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone and ta'en thy wages.
William Shakespeare

#4 of Four Retirement Poems

by Famous People

O, blest retirement! Friend to life's decline -
How blest is he who crowns, in shades like these,
A youth of labor with an age of ease!
— Goldsmith

 

Retirement Party Image - Marooned on Island
 

A Modern Retirement Poem Penned by a Retiree in Singapore

Here is a poem written by a retiree who resides in Singapore.

Ode to Retirement

I can read and write and paint.
Can even aspire to be a saint.
Left alone,
I could travel, teach and tutor.
Share guide and mentor Someone.
You my friends can remain blind
And kind
Or see in me a New find
Making again a difference.
Ramasami Natarajan

A Humorous Retirement Poem Penned by an Unknown Retiree

Here is another poem written by a soon-to-be retiree who doesn't know when he will be a senior whatever that is:

Retirement It's All in How You

Play the Game, Isn't It?

Let's see now. How will I know when I am a senior.
Hmmmmmmm.....
Some places give me a senior's discount at 55, some at 60 and some at 65.
My government pension will be sent to me when I am 65.
My company will arbitrarily retire me at 65. (I'm going to beat them to the punch and retire at 60.)
So that means that parts of our society think 'senior' begins at 55.
How will I personally know?
Well, with a little bit of luck, I don't think I'll ever know.
It's all in how you play the game, isn't it?
Unknown wise person

 

Retirement Poem for School Principal or Any One Who Wants to Enjoy Not Being Married

I would be married, but I'd have no wife.
I would be married to the single life.
— Richard Crashaw (Poet in 17th Century)


Retirement Poem for School Principal or Any Other Retiree Who Wants to Enjoy the Moment

Happy the man, and happy he alone,
He who can call today his own;
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow, do thy worst, for I have lived today.
— John Dryden

Humorous Retirement Poem about the Right Retirement Gift to Give to Female Retirees

You can say it with flowers
You can say it with wine
But to make her stinkin' sentimental
Say it with a Lincoln Continental.
— Robert Byrne

 

The Best Retirement Book in the World

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free

   

Letter Retirement Template Image #1 of Several Retirement Letters Images - Cover

Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor

  • 9 Dumbest Retirement Moves
  • Why Retiring Too Late Means You Don't Get Another Chance
  • 10 Youthful Activities Never Too Late to Pursue Unless You Are Dead
  • The Magical Retirement Plan for High Achievers
  • 17 Secrets to a Happy Retirement
 

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10 Retirement Quotes for

Retirement Letters

   

Like a retirement poem, a good quote about retirement can bring attention to the point you are making in your retirement card or retirement speech. Here are seven retirement quotes that you may want to consider:


#1 of Seven Retirement Quotes as
Good as Retirement Poems

But what, it may be asked, are the requisites for a life of retirement? A man may be weary of the toils and torments of business, and yet quite unfit for the tranquil retreat. Without literature, friendship, and religion, retirement is in most cases found to be a dead, flat level, a barren waste, and a blank. Neither the body nor the soul can enjoy health and life in a vacuum.
Richter


#2 of Seven Retirement Quotes as
Good as Retirement Poems

Sex is Number 1 of my Top 10 joys in retirement. Number 2 is reading
How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free. I forgot the other 8.
— from Graffiti for the Enlightened Soul

#3 of Seven Retirement Quotes as
Good as Retirement Poems

Retirement is wonderful if you have two essentials — much to live on and much to live for. I believe that I now have both.
Unknown wise person


#4 of Seven Retirement Quotes as
Good as Retirement Poems

By the age of 65, most of us have accomplished whatever work-related goals we are going to reach. If you haven't done it by then, chances are you aren't going to do it. Take the retirement, take the pension, take the Social Security, and sail off into the sunset.
Sue Lasky

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Letter Retirement Sample Image #1 of Several Retirement Letter Images - Writing Letter of Retirement

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free

  • Over 95,000 Copies Sold
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#5 of Seven Retirement Quotes as
Good as Retirement Poems

Retirement is a time to make the inner journey and come face to face with your flaws, failures, prejudices, and all the factors that generate thoughts of unhappiness. Retirement is not a time to sleep, but a time to awaken to the beauty of the world around you and the joy that comes when you cast out all the negative elements that cause confusion and turmoil in your mind and allow serenity to prevail.
Howard Salzman

#6 of Seven Retirement Quotes as
Good as Retirement Poems

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think,
all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all
the friends I want to see.
John Burrough

 

#7 of Seven Retirement Quotes as
Good as Retirement Poems

Age [along with retirement] appears to be best in four things — old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.
Francis Bacon


Again, poems about retirement can add a lot of humor and body to retirement dinner speeches, but so can quotations about retirement. Go to the home page on this website and you will find many more quotations ideal to add to your retirement cards or retirement party ideas.

 

The Best Retirement Book in the World

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free

   

How to Write a Retirement Letter - Image #1 of Several Retirement Letter Images

Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor

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A Teacher Retirement Poem by Richard Armour

Retired is being twice tired, I've thought
First tired of working,
Then tired of not.
Richard Armour

 

A Retirement Poem by Robert Browning

Grow old with me!
The best is yet to be.
Robert Browning

The Best Retirement Book to Help You with Your Retirement Poem

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free

   

Letter Retirement Sample Image #1 of Several Retirement Letter Template on How to Write a Retirement Letter

Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor

"Get this book if you look forward to a retirement with 'zing.' "

—Nancy Paradis, St. Petersburg Times

Purchase How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free through these direct links:

 

A Request to Make a Speech

This is an e-mail that the author of The World's Best Retirement Book recently received about the possibility of making a speech to a number of financial planners:


Dear Mr. Zelinski,

At our financial organization, you are regarded as somewhat of a celebrity. All of our Representatives have read your book, How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free. We now make it a practice to give this book out to our clients on every financial planning appointment.

We would love the opportunity to speak with you about a speaking engagement at our fall conference in Dallas, TX. The dates for this conference are September 17 & 18, 2008.

We would like to discuss what it would take to get you to our conference, what type of presentation you would like to do and the logistics involved.

Our President of Field Operations would like the opportunity to contact you directly to discuss this possibility. Please let me know how we may contact you.

This e-mail, in fact, came from Nettworth Financial which has now purchased over 1,500 copies of the international bestseller How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free by Ernie Zelinski for its sales representatives and clients.

Retirement Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Age is opportunity no less,
Than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away,
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Enjoy the Spring of Love and Youth,
To some good angel leave the rest;
For Time will teach thee soon the truth,
There are no birds in last year's nest!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


Coming Soon:

  • Humorous Retirement Poems
  • Tips on How to Write a Retirement Poem
  • Funny Retirement Poems

The Best Retirement Book to Help You with Drafting Funky Retirement Poems

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free

   

Letter Retirement Sample Image #1 of Several Retirement Letter Template on How to Write a Retirement Letter

Purchase How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free through these direct links: