Only a Dad by Edgar Albert Guest
‘Only a Dad’ by Edgar Albert Guest is dedicated to the poet’s father. The poem describes the man’s willingness to self-sacrifice and do whatever he can to make his children happy.
DIVORCE by Kanye West
‘DIVORCE’ by Kanye West was written in order to reflect the writer’s experiences during his divorce from Kim Kardashian.
Hush little baby, don’t say a word by Mother Goose
“Hush little baby, don’t say a word” by Mother Goose is a popular nursery rhyme that originated in the southern United States. It is addressed to a crying child and includes the many things that their father would do for them to make them happy.
Yesterday by W. S. Merwin
In ‘Yesterday,’ Merwin presents the conversation between two individuals regarding their last meeting with their fathers. This interesting conversation centers on the irony of human relationships.
My Son, My Executioner by Donald Hall
Donald Hall’s poem ‘My Son, My Executioner’ centers on how a speaker looks at his child’s innocent face and wishes to die in order to get immortality. It taps on the spiritual bliss of parenting.
To My Father, Who Died by Dawn Garisch
Dawn Garisch’s poem ‘To My Father, Who Died’ is about the relationship of the poet’s father with the sea. It depicts the cycle of life and death through the metaphor of the sea.
The Lost Pilot by James Tate
‘The Lost Pilot’ is dedicated to James Tate’s father, who died on a bombing mission in World War II in 1944. He was a co-pilot of a B-17.
Love That Boy by Walter Dean Meyers
‘Love That Boy’ by Walter Dean Meyers is a short, sweet poem. In it, the speaker describes his love for his son.
Men at Forty by Donald Justice
‘Men at Forty’ by Donald Justice is a moving poem about aging and fatherhood. The speaker is describing what it’s like for all men when they reach forty and consider their pasts and presents.
On the Beach at Fontana by James Joyce
‘On the Beach at Fontana’ by James Joyce is a poem about paternal love and protectiveness. Read the poem with, a summary and complete analysis.
The Secret Heart by Robert Coffin
‘The Secret Heart’ by Robert Coffin speaks of a man remembering his father and explores love through a tender moment between father and son.
My Father by Peter Oresick
‘My Father’ by Peter Oresick is a poem that delves into the narrator’s relationship with his father. The narrator is regretful that his father’s pain created a wall between them, and he yearns to better understand him.
10 of the Best Poems for Father’s Day
On this list, readers will find ten of the best poems to read in celebration of father’s day. They explore themes of child/parent relationships, love, and generational wisdom.
You Are Old, Father William by Lewis Carroll
‘You Are Old, Father William’ by Lewis Carroll is a poem that is structured as a dialogue between a “father” and “his son”.
Farther by Owen Sheers
‘Farther’ was first published in Sheer’s second collection, Skirrid Hill, in 2005. The poem depicts the relationship between the poet and his father.
From Not Him by Wopko Jensma
‘From Not Him’ by Wopko Jensma tells a story of a father who is rigid in his daily activities regarding the upbringing of his children.
Father Returning Home by Dilip Chitre
‘Father Returning Home’ by Dilip Chitre expresses the generational separation between a “father” and “children” through vivid visuals.
Follower by Seamus Heaney
‘Follower’ has many of the aspects which characterize the poems of Seamus Heaney. Having grown up in an area of Northern Ireland that greatly valued family, hard work, and farming, Heaney’s poems often reflect all of these values at once.
Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice
‘Prayer Before Birth’ by Louis MacNeice was written during the terror struck days of World War II. It places the realities of an evil world into the mouth of an unborn baby.
