A Child is Something Else Again by Yehuda Amichai
‘A Child is Something Else Again’ by Yehuda Amichai is a poem about parenthood and childhood. A child represents a great deal, the speaker says, and provides a parent with the will to live.
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.
Nightmare Begins Responsibility by Michael S. Harper
‘Nightmare Begins Responsibility’ by Michael S. Harper is an unforgettable poem in which the speaker describes the loss of a child. While struggling to trust the doctors caring for his newborn son, the speaker watches on helplessly.
The Gift by Li-Young Lee
‘The Gift’ by Li-Young Lee is an effective contemporary poem about the way a father’s voice and attitude influenced his son.
Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field one Night by Walt Whitman
‘Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field one Night’ by Walt Whitman is an emotional poem that describes a soldier’s night-time vigil alongside the body of his fallen comrade.
Sine Qua Non by A.E. Stallings
‘Sine Qua Non’ by A.E. Stallings is a thoughtful depiction of what “absence” and “nothing” feel like. The poem is specifically concerned with one speaker’s father.
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.
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.
A Prayer For My Son by William Butler Yeats
‘A Prayer for my Son,’ written from the perspective of a father who wants to protect his son against all odds during the brewing war in Ireland. Read the poem with a complete analysis.
Come Up from the Fields Father by Walt Whitman
‘Come Up from the Fields Father’ by Walt Whitman is a moving war-time poem. Through its lines, the poet addresses the effect of a son’s death on his family.
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.
Being Brave at Night by Edgar Albert Guest
‘Being Brave at Night’ is written by the American poet Edgar Albert Guest and it was published in his poetry collection Rhymes of Childhood. The speaker of this piece talks about how he is not afraid of anything that comes across to terrify him at night.
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.
White Apples by Donald Hall
The poet of ‘White Apples’ Donald Hall uses plain language and a simple style to describe the effect of a loved one’s death in a speaker’s mind. The way he misses his father is described in this poem.
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.
Filling Station by Elizabeth Bishop
‘Filling Station’ by Elizabeth Bishop describes a speaker’s initial reaction, and later feelings, about the value of a dirty filling station.
Little Boy Crying by Mervyn Morris
‘Little Boy Crying’ by Mervynn Morris describes the emotions of a child who is struck by his father for playing in the rain.
Thou Whose Spell Can Raise the Dead by Lord Byron
‘Thou Whose Spell Can Raise the Dead’ by Lord Byron, told by the prophet Samuel, describes the fate of King Saul and his sons.
I Will Go With My Father a-Ploughing by Joseph Campbell
‘I Will Go With My Father a-Ploughing’ describes the months of a boy’s life as he works alongside his father, “ploughing,” “sowing,” and “reaping.”
The Little Boy Lost by William Blake
‘The Little Boy Lost’ by William Blake is the story of a young child who while out searching for his father gets lost in the woods.
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.
On My First Son by Ben Jonson
‘On my First Son’ is a poem about a father who has lost a young son, and attempts to distance himself from the tragedy in numerous ways.
The Chamber Over the Gate by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Chamber Over the Gate, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is a poem filled with emotion, faith, and history.
The Land of Dreams by William Blake
In ‘The Land of Dreams,’ William Blake depicts a conversation between a father and his son. These two will talk about a dream that the little boy had.