Guiding Star: Poems Honoring a Dad’s Unyielding Love

This blog post aims to offer a collection of poems imbued with both sadness and hope, to acknowledge the pain of loss but also to celebrate the love and guidance that fathers provide.

These poems are suitable to be read as eulogies at a funeral service or used for personal reflection to commemorate the life and love of fathers. They serve as a heartfelt tribute, a way to say goodbye, and a reminder of the happy times shared.

As you read through these funeral poems for dad, may you find the words that resonate with your feelings and help you to celebrate the wonderful person your father was.

Imagined Short Poems

These concise, poignant poems are designed to be shared in moments when words are needed most. They can stand as a eulogy’s heart or as quiet reflections for those mourning a father’s passing.

A Father’s Hand

In every step, Dad’s hand was there,
Guiding with love beyond compare.
Though he’s gone, his touch remains—
In every joy and every pain.

Harbor of Home

His arms, our harbor, strong and true,
Now in our hearts, his voice we cue.
A captain steering through night's storm,
In memory's port, his love stays warm.

Eternal Guide

He was the lighthouse in our life,
A radiant beacon through our strife.
His light remains as our guide,
With every step, he’s by our side.

A Gentle Wind

As winds do shape the mountain tall,
His love has shaped us, one and all.
His presence lingers, a gentle wind,
A father’s love that has no end.

The Stars Above

At night, I find him in the stars,
A map of love for a heart with scars.
In twinkling lights, his face appears,
A constellation that calms our fears.

In Gardens Green

He tended life in gardens green,
In every sprout, his love is seen.
Though he’s at rest, in soil and bloom,
His care lives on, defying gloom.

The Sailor’s Peace

A sailor brave, on life’s vast sea,
In storms and calm, he taught to be.
Now in deep waters peaceful, vast,
He finds his rest; his anchor's cast.

By Hearth and Fire

By hearth and fire, he warmed our nights,
With tales that sparked our inner lights.
That glow remains, though he’s not here,
In every tale, he’s ever near

The Final Sunset

He watched the sun dip down at day,
In colors bold, then fade away.
Now as he rests with sun’s last light,
We hold his love, as day to night.

Lessons Under the Stars

With dad by side, under moon’s soft light,
We'd share our dreams into the night.
Now stars above seem to nod and say,
“His love’s still here, and here to stay."

Imagined Long Poems

These poems are crafted to be an emotional embrace, capturing the complexity of saying goodbye to a beloved father. Each poem weaves sadness with threads of hope, offering a heartfelt tribute to honor a father’s memory.

The Love He Left Behind

A gentle heart, a spirit kind,
His wisdom deep, his words refined,
In every action, love defined,
A legacy, he’s left behind.

In quiet halls, his voice still calls,
A soothing tone, that never falls.
Though he’s not here, his presence stays,
In lessons learned, and love’s vast bays.

When sorrow's sea seems dark and deep,
His memory’s light, my soul to keep.
For every tear, a love’s response,
My father’s touch, lives far beyond.

His love, a beacon ever bright,
Guiding through sorrow’s darkest night.
In memory, he’s here with me,
My father’s love, my life’s decree.

A Life’s Final Stanza

He wrote his life like tender verse,
In selfless acts, love to disperse.
Now as the ink begins to wane,
In our hearts, his words remain.

From lessons taught, to laughter shared,
In every way, he showed he cared.
His final stanza may be penned,
But in our lives, his book won’t end.

He’s the poem that in us lives,
His verses are the love he gives.
Though his earthly song finds its end,
In our refrains, his words extend.

Comfort in Continuity

He was the oak, steadfast and strong,
Who taught us all where we belong.
Though now he rests, and we must part,
His roots live on within my heart.

In children’s eyes, his light persists,
In love’s embrace, his touch exists.
Though he’s moved on to realms anew,
In every act, his love shines through.

He was the seed and we the tree,
Continuing his legacy.
In every leaf, in every bough,
His life lives on; he’s with us now.

Journey to Serenity

His life—a voyage on stormy seas,
He navigated all with ease.
And though he’s sailed beyond our view,
His compass points to love that’s true.

He charted courses bold and grand,
A captain, with a steady hand.
And as he sails to sunlit shore,
We know he’s found his peace, and more.

In harbors safe from worldly strife,
He anchors now, a new found life.
And as he sails to sunlit shore,
We know he’s found his peace, and more.

Reflections on an Endless Love

In father’s eyes, the world was bright,
A beacon in the darkest night.
Though he’s departed from this sphere,
In our reflections, he’s still here.

He gave his love without a price,
A selfless, everlasting slice.
Though his form we cannot see,
His endless love is here, with me.

In every sunrise, he’s the ray,
In every night, he’s the Milky Way.
Though his form we cannot see,
His endless love is here, with me.

Discovery

In this section, we turn to the words of established poets. Their work, timeless and universal, offers comfort during times of grief and loss.

The selected poems, though penned in different eras, speak to the enduring love and respect for a father, and the hopeful light that love continues to shine.

“The Toys” by Coventry Patmore

My little Son, who look'd from thoughtful eyes
And moved and spoke in quiet grown-up wise,
Having my law the seventh time disobey'd,
I struck him, and dismiss'd
With hard words and unkiss'd,
His Mother, who was patient, being dead.
Then, fearing lest his grief should hinder sleep,
I visited his bed,
But found him slumbering deep,
With darken'd eyelids, and their lashes yet
From his late sobbing wet.
And I, with moan,
Kissing away his tears, left others of my own;
For, on a table drawn beside his head,
He had put, within his reach,
A box of counters and a red-vein'd stone,
A piece of glass abraded by the beach
And six or seven shells,
A bottle with bluebells
And two French copper coins, ranged there with careful art,
To comfort his sad heart.
So when that night I pray'd
To God, I wept, and said:
Ah, when at last we lie with tranced breath,
Not vexing Thee in death,
And Thou rememberest of what toys
We made our joys,
How weakly understood
Thy great commanded good,
Then, fatherly not less
Than I whom Thou hast moulded from the clay,
Thou'lt leave Thy wrath, and say,
"I will be sorry for their childishness."

A touching poem, Patmore speaks of a father’s realization after reprimanding his child. The child’s simple faith, shown through his toys, brings about an epiphany regarding the divine forgiveness he himself seeks.

“Father” by Edgar Albert Guest

My father knows the proper way
The nation should be run;
He tells us children every day
Just what should now be done.
He knows the way to fix the trusts,
He has a simple plan;
But if the furnace needs repairs,
We have to hire a man.

My father, in a day or two
Could land big thieves in jail;
There’s nothing that he cannot do,
He knows no word like “fail.”
“Our confidence” he would restore,
Of that there is no doubt;
But if there is a chair to mend,
We have to send it out.

All public questions that arise,
He settles on the spot;
He waits not till the tumult dies,
But grabs it while it’s hot.
In matters of finance he can
Tell Congress what to do;
But, O, he finds it hard to meet
His bills as they fall due.

It almost makes him sick to read
The things law-makers say;
Why, father’s just the man they need,
He never goes astray.
All wars he’d very quickly end,
As fast as I can write it;
But when a neighbor starts a fuss,
’Tis mother has to fight it.

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.

A poignant reflection on the life of a father, this poem reminisces about the quiet strength, wisdom, and love that a father provides, even after he’s gone.

“In Memoriam” by Lord Alfred Tennyson (Excerpt)

I held it truth, with him who sings
   To one clear harp in divers tones,
   That men may rise on stepping-stones
Of their dead selves to higher things.
 
But who shall so forecast the years
   And find in loss a gain to match?
   Or reach a hand thro' time to catch
The far-off interest of tears?
 
Let Love clasp Grief lest both be drown'd,
   Let darkness keep her raven gloss:
   Ah, sweeter to be drunk with loss,
To dance with death, to beat the ground,
 
Than that the victor Hours should scorn
   The long result of love, and boast,
   `Behold the man that loved and lost,
But all he was is overworn.'

One of the most significant poems of the Victorian era, Tennyson’s “In Memoriam” isn’t solely about a father, but its themes of grief, mourning, and remembrance are universally applicable. The poet deeply laments the loss of his close friend, Arthur Hallam, and through the verses, we can draw parallels to the depth of emotions one feels upon losing a father figure.

Want to read more funeral poems for dad from these poets?

• The Angel in the House: Original Classics and Annotated Hardcover – by Coventry Patmore
• Collected Works of Edgar A. Guest
• Tennyson: Poems: Edited by Peter Washington

Feeling Inspired?

Crafting Your Own Verses: The Art of Personal Expression

Though poetry has graced us from renowned poets, there is a unique solace in crafting one’s own words. These steps will guide you in writing your very own tribute to your father. Dive deep into your memories and emotions, and let them flow onto parchment when crafting your own funeral poems for dad.

Start with Memories

Begin by jotting down cherished memories of your dad. Maybe it’s the way he laughed, the stories he told, or his quirks that made you smile. Each memory is a potential line or stanza in your poem.

Sensory Details

Invoke the five senses. Remember the sound of his voice, the warmth of his embrace, or the scent of his cologne? These sensory details transport readers to the moments you hold dear, making your poem vivid and immersive.

Embrace the Emotion

Allow yourself to feel. While writing can be therapeutic, it can also be painful. Embrace whatever emotions arise—sadness, joy, regret. Authentic feelings lend depth to your words.

Play with Structure

Poems don’t always have to rhyme. Free verse can be as impactful as structured rhyme. Experiment with both, and see what resonates more with the message you’re trying to convey.

Seek Feedback

Once you’ve penned down your thoughts, share them with someone you trust. Their feedback can offer a fresh perspective, and they might pick up on nuances or suggest tweaks that hadn’t occurred to you.

Conclusion

In the heartrending journey of losing a father, poetry can serve as both a comfort and a tribute. This collection of funeral poems for dads aims to capture not just the piercing pain of loss but also the hopeful resonance of a life well-lived and deeply loved.

Through these lines, may readers find the solace of shared experience and the inspiration to pen their own tributes. In each verse, we can remember, honor, and continue to hold our fathers close, affirming that they live on – in memories, in lessons taught, and in the love that time nor distance can diminish.

Enjoy this post? Discover more poems:

• Beautiful Short Poems for Funerals
• Poems of Love and Laughter for Fathers Day
• Guardian of Generations: Poetic Tributes to Granddad’s Everlasting Love

Check out poetic prints at Parchment Print Nook:

• Parchment Print Nook