40 Best Poems for Father's Day

Last Updated: May 20, 2025 by Kaz

This Father’s Day, why not celebrate dad with some heartfelt, sentimental or funny Fathers Day Poems? Poems can put into words things that are sometimes hard to say. A happy Father's Day poem can be very thoughtful, poetic and moving. Or it can be cute, sweet and upbeat.

Every Father’s Day, I choose a different poem to write in a card for my Dad. My father is a man of few words, and he worked outside of the home for many hours. But when he was at home, he was extremely calm and patient with my siblings and I. It’s lovely to find quotes, sayings and poems that put into words his impact as a father. Macdonald’s line, “O father, I am in the light of thy remembered love and care,” reminds me of the warm presence of my Dad when we were growing up. As a Christian family, I sometimes like to include Christian Fathers Day poems that move the spirit as well as the heart.

In our home, we also make sure that my husband receives a lovely Father’s Day card. He the kids' adorable art, and I always include a cute Dad poem for him to enjoy. I hope you will enjoy this collection of Father's Day poems just as much as our family has!

Father’s Day Poems

Happy Father's Day

Dad, you mean the world to me,
I hope that's something you can see,
Through every up and every down,
You've been there to help me rebound.
I thank you for your constant love,
And guidance from up above,
For all the times you held my hand,
I'm grateful for you, my amazing dad.
~ Kip Alderidge

Grateful To Have You As My Dad

I hope you know I'm grateful,
And my heart is truly glad,
That today and every single day,
I have you as my Dad.
~ Holly Giffers

Only a Dad

Only a dad but he gives his all
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing with courage stern and grim,
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen:
Only a dad, but the best of men.
~ Edgar Guest

To My Father

O father, I am in the light
Of thy remembered love and care,
And every thought of thee is bright
As sunshine in the morning air.
~ George MacDonald

He Never Told Me

He never told me how to live,
He simply lived, and let me watch.
He never scolded, rarely preached,
Just answered questions I would botch.

He didn’t push, but showed the path,
And held the lamp when dark the road.
He never once asked for my thanks,
He simply bore the quiet load.

His lessons linger in my mind,
Long after he is gone from view.
I never said how much he meant—
So now, these lines will have to do.
~ Anonymous, Early 20th Century

Only One Father

Only one father with steadfast love,
Guiding my footsteps to pathways above.
Patient and tender and firm in the right,
Helping me onward by day and by night.

Only one voice that can cheer when I’m sad,
Lifting my spirits and making me glad.
Only one heart full of comfort and cheer,
Only one father to love year by year.
~ Edgar A. Guest

An Ode To Dads

Dads are the rock that holds us strong,
A compass to guide us all along,
The foundation of our lives they create,
A stronghold of love that's never late.

With strength and support, they stand by our side,
A beacon of hope that never hides,
Dads are the world we live in each day,
And their love is what lights the way.
~ Melodia Ortez

Father

In conversation father can
Do many wondrous things;
He’s built upon a wiser plan
Than presidents or kings.
He knows the ins and outs of each
And every deep transaction;
We look to him for theories,
But look to ma for action.
~ Edgar Guest

Father's Way

If his heart sometimes was weary,
He never let it show.
If his soul sometimes was bleeding,
He never let us know.

He kept the hurt where it belonged
Far in the depths inside—
For us he showed a cheerful face,
And for himself he cried.

He never failed at duty,
He never missed the way—
Though maybe once or twice he stopped
And bowed his head to pray.

A gentler man, a stronger man,
A man of kindly deeds—
Our father’s way was sacrifice
For all his children’s needs.
~ Douglas Malloch

You Gave us the World

You Gave us the World
You gave us the world, with your love and care,
Your strength and wisdom, always there,
You showed us how to stand tall and be brave,
And be kind and compassionate in every way.

Through thick and thin, you were always our guide,
Your love and support, we cannot hide,
Dad, we're grateful for all that you do,
We love you so much, Happy Father's Day to you!
~ Julian Brydie

My Dad is My Rock

My dad has always been my rock,
Supporting me as I chased my dreams around the clock,
Encouraging me to go on the craziest adventures,
And taking me seriously, no matter the venture.
He gave me advice and encouragement,
Even when I was feeling lost and disheartened,
His words of wisdom, always on point,
Helped me navigate life's twists and turns with every joint.

With his unwavering support, I gained strength,
To pursue my passions, no matter the length,
For all the times he's been there, day by day,
My dad's love and support, I'll always repay.
So on this Father's Day, I want to say,
Thank you, Dad, for all the support along the way,
Your love and care have helped me soar,
And for that, I'll cherish you forevermore.
~ Winnie Smith-Garland

Our Father’s Love

Not what we wish, but what He knows
Is good for us, is given;
So dream not of earth’s idle woes,
But trust the love of Heaven.

A father’s hand will never strike
A needless, hurtful blow;
His children know his loving heart,
Though he may answer, “No.”
~ Horatius Bonar

Fatherhood

My Father’s heart is steady as a hill,
And strong and kindly as the morning sun;
He bends to help me upward with good will,
And says, “Be brave, my son.”

He does not preach the path of truth and right,
But lives it quietly from day to day;
His life is like a lantern in the night—
That shows me how to pray.

No boastful words, no loud or stern commands,
But silent strength that guides me when I roam;
His love is working in his calloused hands,
That built our humble home.
~ William Henry Davies

Poems for Dad

A Boy and His Dad

A boy and his dad on a fishing-trip—
There is a glorious fellowship!
Father and son and the open sky
And the white clouds lazily drifting by,
And the laughing stream as it runs along
With the clicking reel like a martial song,
And the father teaching the youngster gay
How to land a fish in the sportsman's way.
~ Edgar Guest

My Father

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
—My father.

Who taught my infant lips to pray,
And love God's holy book and day,
And walk in wisdom's pleasant way?
—My father.

And can I ever cease to be
Affectionate and kind to thee,
Who wast so very kind to me
— My father.

Ah no! the thought I cannot bear,
And if God please my life to spare,
I hope I shall reward thy care
— My father.
~ Ann Taylor

The Goldsmith

He does not pose; he endures the gaze,
as though each glance were another weight to bear.
Lines etch his face like tools once pressed to metal,
years folded into flesh the way heat tempers steel.

His hands, though absent, are everywhere—
in the set of the mouth, the downward tilt of thought.
He is a man who has measured time
in hammer blows, in cooling silence, in restraint.

Nothing adorns the background.
Only light, as plain as truth, touches his shoulder.
He does not demand to be remembered,
yet memory holds him still,
like gold once shaped
and handed quietly to the next pair of hands.
~ Ella Stawarski

The Father's Care

Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss
Hath made my cup run o’er,
And in a kind and faithful friend
Hath doubled all my store.

Ten thousand thousand precious gifts
My daily thanks employ;
Nor is the least a cheerful heart
That tastes those gifts with joy.
~ John Keble

The Return

The father stands, a figure of stillness,
His hands worn by time, yet open in grace.
The son, once lost to a world of reckless choices,
Approaches slowly, burdened by the weight of his own return.

There is no reproach in the father's gaze,
Only the quiet, unspoken understanding of a love that transcends.
The years of absence, of pain, dissolve in the touch of his hands,
As he draws the son close, offering warmth where there was once coldness.

In the space between them, all the words that need not be spoken are heard.
The father’s embrace is a quiet defiance of all that has come before—
A refusal to let the past define the future,
A surrender of judgment in the name of grace.

The son, broken and repentant, finds solace in this simple gesture,
A gesture that says, without words, that love endures,
That home is not a place, but a presence.
In this moment, the distance is erased,
And both father and son are whole again.
~ Heath Quintieri

The Banjo

Bent close, their shadows blend against the dim wall—
not teacher and pupil, but two ends of one story.
The boy watches, not just the strings,
but the way memory lives in the hands.

The elder leans in, not to correct,
but to accompany the tremble of becoming.
Outside, the world is winter-pale and waiting,
but here, in this hush of learning,
a legacy warms the air—
sound becoming blood, becoming bond.
~ Zachariah Hollback

Study of a Father

His gaze does not reach out but holds inward,
as if listening to something finished long ago.
The lines on his face are not sorrow—
they are the architecture of endurance.

He sits without adornment,
a figure shaped by use, not display.
Even in stillness, he teaches
how to carry a life without spectacle.
~ Raleigh Windson

The Father

The father’s hand is both a shield and a guide,
steadying the small figure against the weight of the world.
In his eyes, there is the quiet of knowing
the fragility of what he holds in his arms.

The child’s trust is unspoken,
a soft surrender in the curve of his father’s touch.
In this moment, nothing more is needed—
just the silence of protection, and the warmth of care.
~ Reuben Suco

To Fathers

O fathers, you who kindle morning’s glow,
Dispelling shadows where our sorrows grow;
By tireless hand and steadfast, watchful eye,
You forge our courage ’neath the open sky.

Through whispered trials when our hearts still quake,
You teach resolve no tempest can unmake;
In dreams you breathe, in hope you plant our seed,
Instilling grace to rise when we’re in need.

Your kindness flows like rivers to the sea,
A boundless well of gentle constancy;
Your laughter—rock against life’s blustering storm—
Embraces us, and bids our spirits form.

So on this day, we raise our voices high,
In humble thanks beneath a grateful sky;
For every sacrifice, each guiding art—
You are the steadfast compass of the heart.
~ Olivia Loukides

Through the Ages
Fathers and their families, throughout the ages,
Have stood by each other, through life's many stages.
From hunters and gatherers, to farmers and bakers,
Fathers have always been there, through every endeavor and acre.
Through war and peace, through times of feast and famine,
Fathers have been our rock, our shelter and our captain.
They have taught us to be brave, to stand tall and be strong,
And to never give up hope, no matter what may go wrong.
From generation to generation, their legacy lives on,
A bond unbreakable, from dusk until dawn.
Fathers and their families, a story that will never grow old,
For their love and devotion, is worth more than gold.
~ Nathaniel Kottmeyer

My Father's contradictions

My father was a scholar and a ripe one,
Exceeding wise, fair-spoken, and persuading:
Lofty and sour to them that loved him not,
But to those men that sought him sweet as summer.
~ Charles Lamb

Where Would I Be Without You

My dad, my hero, always by my side,
From the moment I was born, he has been my guide.
He cared for me as a baby, taught me to crawl and walk,
And as I grew older, he taught me to talk.
He taught me to throw and catch, ride a bike and drive a car,
And to never give up, no matter how hard things are.
Without my dad, where would I be?
Lost and unsure, I don't want to even think.

He has always been there, through thick and thin,
Supporting me, and helping me to win.
His guidance and faith in me, have given me the strength,
To overcome all obstacles, no matter the length.
He taught me about The Lord, and how to live a life of grace,
To be kind and compassionate, and to always have faith.
My dad, my hero, I'm grateful for all you've done,
And I thank the heavens above, for giving me the best one.
~ Corey Mitcherson

Father and Son

Blue holds them both,
not just the palette but the pause—
a stillness between hunger and hope.
The child leans in,
not yet heavy with the world,
his cheek a question against worn cloth.

The father's eyes are cast downward,
seeing more than is in the room.
his hand, weathered and unsure,
rests on the curve of a small back
as if memory alone could shield
what morning has not promised.
~ Junie D’Alessandro

A World With No Dads

In a world with no dads, things would be a big mess,
The plumbing would break, leaving us quite stressed.
Planes wouldn't fly, buildings would fall,
The grass and weeds would grow so tall.

Who would fix a flat tire, or check for noises at night?
Who would scare the monsters, and make everything all right?
Who would make our days sunny, and chase our fears away?
Without dads, our world would be dull and gray.

But hey, there might be some benefits, to this world without dads,
No more awkward hugs, or cheesy jokes that make us mad.
No more lectures on how to clean, or take out the trash,
No more uncomfortable talks, or dad's corny gags.

But let's face it, we need our dads for all their quirks and charms,
For without them, we'd be lost, and we’d be harmed.
So let's appreciate our dads, and honor them each day,
For all their love and care, that never fades away.
~ Harrison Beslow

Father's Day Poems for Preschoolers

To the Best Dad in the World!

My superhero daddy's always there,
To show me love and give me care,
He makes me laugh and helps me grow,
My daddy's the best, that's all I know.
~ Julian Brydie

Daddy's Little Princess

I'm Daddy's princess, that's plain to see,
My hero and protector, he'll always be,
With a love that's pure and true,
Dad, I'm grateful for all that you do.
On this special day, I want to say,
I love you more and more each day.
~ Meagan Tuffley

My Daddy, My Hero

You are my hero, my shining star,
Guiding me through life, no matter how far,
With your love and wisdom, you light the way,
Dad, I'm grateful for you, each and every day.
You inspire me to be strong and true,
Dad, I love you, Happy Father's Day to you!
~ Lucy Himenes

My Superhero

Dad you know that I like Batman,
And Superman's cool too,
But I don't really need them,
As long as I have you!
~ Meagan Tuffley

Father’s a Man

Father’s a man—a real great man—
Bigger than anyone else I know!
He makes the sun rise up each day
And tells the moon just when to go.

He can catch a star or ride a cloud,
And throw it far across the skies—
I’ve never seen it, but I know
Because of how he looks and tries.

He’s strong and brave and very wise,
And though he’s tired late at night,
He lifts me high up in his arms—
My hero, tall and full of might.
~ Florence Earle Coates

Father

He never made a fortune, or a noise
In the world where men are seeking after fame;
But he had a healthy brood of girls and boys
Who loved the very ground on which he trod.
They thought him just little short of God;
Oh, you should have heard the way they said his name—
"Father."
~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

My Father

My father was a good man true,
And taught me what was right;
He said, Be kind in all you do,
Be honest in men's sight.

He never scorned the meanest poor
Nor turned the weak away,
But opened wide his humble door
And bade them stop and stay.
~ Charles Lamb

To My Dad

He never looks for praises,
He's never one to boast,
He just goes on quietly working
For those he loves the most.
~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Christian Father's Day Poems

To a Father in Faith

You, who have carried prayer as breath,
steady as the earth beneath your feet,
have taught us the quiet weight of grace,
how to rise even when we stumble.

Your hands, worn with labor,
have built more than homes; they’ve built hope.
In your silence, there is wisdom—
a strength that is not loud, but sure.

Through your eyes, we see the path ahead,
a light that doesn’t flicker but holds steady.
You are the refuge when the world is wild,
the calm that steadies hearts and lives.
~ Nathaniel Kottmeyer

A Faithful Father

He led us not with rod or blow,
But with the Word divine;
And every day his life would show
The light of Christ did shine.
~ Anonymous

The Good Father

What father, if his child asks for bread,
would give him stone, heavy and cold?
The heart of a parent, though flawed,
knows the hunger beneath the plea—
how to nourish without question.

A fish, not a serpent, offered in trust,
a promise of good wrapped in simple grace.
How much more, then, the Father who waits—
whose gifts, unasked, outnumber the stars—
who sees the need before the asking.
~ Dev Sommerville

The God-Fearing Father

Happy the man who fears the Lord,
Whose feet His holy ways have trod;
His children, by his pious care,
Shall learn to love and serve the Lord.
~ John Newton

My Father’s Hand

I thought I could go it alone,
But soon I began to fall;
I cried for help—then reached and found
My father’s hand through it all.
~ Anonymous

The Christian Father at Home

The father’s smile, the father’s prayer,
A shadow from the cross;
A little flock is gathered there,
To count all else as loss.
~ James W. Alexander

Free Printable Father's Day Cards

Download one of our free printable Father's Day cards to give to your dad. They're convenient when you can't get to the store, and your Dad gets a special card made just for him!

More Father's Day Ideas

I hope you enjoyed my favorite Father's Day poems and that you found one that was just right for your dad! If you're looking for other ways to show your dad how much you love him, here are some other pages I think you'll enjoy:

Happy Father's Day Messages, Quotes, and Poems
Happy Father's Day Messages
Bible Verses about Fathers
Homemade Father's Day gifts to make
"Dad Likes" poster generator
"Dad Definition" poster

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