Poems & Prayers

Poems & Prayers (2025) is a collection by American actor Matthew McConaughey. The poems are reflections on a range of primarily spiritual topics. McConaughey considers faith, belief, and dreams to be the basis of reality. He examines faith and forgiveness, sin and righteousness, grace and gratitude, service to God and others, and, occasionally, heaven. McConaughey’s personal philosophy centers on becoming one’s best and truest self in order to show honesty, courage, and persistence in meeting challenges. He paradoxically urges moving forward in pursuit of one’s dreams, but also living in the present moment rather than the past or future. 

McConaughey began writing these poems in 1989 in response to various life events, many of which he explains in short notes that appear below the poems. On publication, the collection reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

This study guide refers to the hardback edition of Poems and Prayers that was published in 2025 by Crown. 

Citation Note: Quotations from poems are cited by line number, except in the Themes, Symbols & Motifs, and Literary Devices sections, where they are cited by page number. Quotations from the introduction and introductory sections also use page numbers. Line citations follow this format: (Line 7), while page citations use only the number: (96).

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of cursing.

Summary

In his introduction, McConaughey states that he has always relied on logic to understand himself and the world. He acknowledges, however, that today, with so much misinformation circulating, it hard to know what to believe in. But he refuses to stop believing in humanity and its potential. He is an optimist and proposes that we find our reality in “faith, belief, and dreams” (17). He also writes of the importance of prayer in his life. It provides an anchor for him, from which he can fly. Prayer promises freedom; it restores order in times of chaos. The goal of prayer is to align our ambitions so they accord with “Divinity’s Law” (18). He begins his prayers with gratitude and tries to go beyond his selfish desires. He prays for guidance, and for loved ones, visualizing them in a moment when they were most truly themselves, radiating their own light. Then he tries to see himself in the same way: “I concentrate on that likeness, embrace it, thank it, and open up to letting it fill me” (20). 

After the introduction, the collection is divided into 12 sections.

Section 1, “Greenlights Intermezzo,” recaps McConaughey’s life as described in his memoir Greenlights (2020), concluding with his famous motto, “just keep livin’” (Line 159). 

The poems in Section 2, “Navigation and Livin’ Ditties,” are figured as a guiding compass for life. Some of the poems have a song-like quality; McConaughey calls these “ditties.” Several are about traveling; others more metaphorically encourage people to keep moving forward on their own paths. “Canon” explores some general principles that lead to success. 

In Section 3, “Time,” McConaughey explores our experience of time, including how we can best manage it. Notable poems include “Backswing,” which employs imagery from golf to convey moments of stillness that can occur within the flux of time. In “Barbiturate Logic,” the poet wants to slow his thinking process down. “Karmic Grace” considers the ancient belief in karma: You reap what you sow in life. 

In Section 4, “Man Up,” many of the poems emphasize the need for courage, which enables us to deepen our relationships with ourselves, others, and God. Life is designed to be hard and pain is necessary for progress, but is important to stand up for one’s ideals, as “Good Man” explains. Faith and self-confidence are needed every step of the way: “Good Rebel” is a prayer asking God to help us improve in all aspects so we may better carry out his will. 

Section 5, “Regulation Gauges,” is about making choices to calibrate or balance all the elements that are important in life: career, family, children, God. Notable poems in this section include “On the Outskirts of Town,” which explores values, and “Tips Included,” which is about the need to always perform at one’s best because this enhances personal growth. 

Section 6, “Love Stories,” features love poems like “Revel in the Post,” about the tranquil moments that follow marital lovemaking. Other poems explore the need to follow one’s heart, to keep to the truth, and to value friendship. The speaker acknowledges his own selfishness, asking God to help him forgive himself so he can better serve others. 

The title of Section 7, “Fuckups, Daymares, Wobbly, Lost & Lookin’” sums up McConaughey’s theme as making mistakes: “I continually miss the mark, come up short, sin, and am not the man I want to be” (125). Many of the poems, including “Daymare,” “Dear God,” “The Mess I Made,” and “Fallen Leaves” describe the speaker’s distress at his own failings. 

In Section 8, “Faith & Doubt,” McConaughey states that his faith is not as strong as he would wish; pride feeds his doubt. The poem “Doubt Faith” contrasts the two, while “Sometimes” explores the reasons McConaughey prays. “Heaven or Not” expresses agnosticism while also explaining the purpose of religion and encouraging people to seek faith in something. “Heavyweights” states that faith requires courage. 

Some of the poems of Section 9, “Compassion, Forgiveness & Raining Grace,” ask God for forgiveness. Others offer appreciation for divine grace and ask God for help in passing it on to others. They also express McConaughey’s urgent need to conquer his base nature so he can better hear the call of God. 

Section 10, “American Dreams Lost to Find” broadens out from the personal to the national. In the amusing “Streamers in the Hall of Justice,” McConaughey goes to court to get a restraining order against a woman stalking him. In contrast, “America, Yet” is a prose piece that honors the pursuit of the American dream whilst also arguing that the nation’s goals of equal opportunity and justice can never be fully attained. 

Section 11, “Sunrise Intentions & All-Day Appreciations,” is a collection of light pieces. Some of the poems celebrate awakening in the morning and setting goals for the day. Other poems are prayers, such as “Cheers,” in which McConaughey resolves to improve his life in a variety of ways while also remembering the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ. 

Finally, Section 12, “P.S.,” consists of just one poem, in which McConaughey states that the search for heaven on earth demands the courage and effort to “just keep livin’” (Line 7).