Life Lessons

by Joanna Fuchs

You may have thought I didn’t see,
Or that I hadn’t heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word.
Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we’d grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It’s written on my heart.
Without you, Dad, I wouldn’t be
The (woman)(man) I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away.
I’ve grown up with your values,
And I’m very glad I did;
So here’s to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid.

Memories Of My Dad

by Rebecca D. Cook

He wasn’t a hero,
Known by the world.
But a hero he was,
To his little girl.

My daddy was God,
Who knew all things.
And better than Santa,
With the gifts he’d bring.

I knew his voice,
Before I could speak.
And loved it when,
He would sing me to sleep.

He changed my diapers,
And sat up all night.
When my body was weak
And I’d put up a fight.

He’d come home late,
With not much to say.
And made us all kneel,
As he taught me to pray.

He taught me life’s lessons,
Of right from wrong.
And instilled in me values,
That I might be strong.

And so through the years,
Like a hero he stood.
Working to give,
All that he could.

His presence was important,
And we loved to see him smile.
For no one in the world,
Could emulate his style.

And so dear Dad,
My best memory to recall.
Is the gift of your presence,
The greatest gift of all.

Daddy’s Girl

by Jazmyn M. Winder

I sit here and daydream of
my future and how it seems
I can picture my wedding day
my daddy walking me down the aisle
To meet my fate
I look over at him and see a single
Tear
he thinks he’s losing his baby
His biggest fear
but I love him more than ever on this
Day
so I look at him and blow a kiss
His way

He has been there for every single
day of my life
He has been the provider through all
the struggle and strive
I would be lost if he hadn’t shown me
the way
I don’t know that I would have made it
from day to day
I am so very lucky for all he has
done
Out of all dads, he is the very best one

 

He Only Takes the Best

by Unknown

God saw that he was getting tired,
A cure was not to be.
So He put His arms around him
and whispered, “Come with Me.”
With tearful eyes, we watched him suffer,
And saw him fade away.
Although we loved him dearly,
We could not make him stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes “the best”.

DAD

by Unknown

We’ll always remember
That special smile,
That caring heart,
That warm embrace,
You always gave us.
You being there
For Mom and us
Through good and bad times,
No matter what.
We’ll always remember
You Dad because
They’ll never be another one
To replace you in our hearts,
And the love we will always
Have for you

Goodbye To My Dad

by Debra Marie Stratton-VanBuskirk

Goodbye Dad, I had to say
A few months ago on a cold winter day
I’ll remember the good times and try not to be sad
But saying goodbye still hurts so bad
I miss you more then I can express
My love for you will never grow less
I keep trying to imagine how I will go on
I realize tomorrow is another dawn
I know you’re in heaven above
Looking down on us with all your love
Only to whisper in our ear
Remember that I’ll never stopped loving you dear
I’ll always remember the good times we had
Remember the man, my wonderful Dad
I’ll remember you each and every day
And if I need to talk to you, I’ll just sit down and pray
One day we’ll be together again
To talk about all the places we been
Until the time I’ll always treasure
Having you for a Dad was such a great pleasure.

Not, How Did He Die, But How Did He Live?

by Unknown

Not how did he die, but how did he live?
Not what did he gain, but what did he give?
These are the units to measure the worth
Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.
Not, what was his church, nor what was his creed?
But had he befriended those really in need?
Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?
Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,
But how many were sorry when he passed away.

Funeral Blues- Made popular in the movie, “Four Weddings and a Funeral”

by W.H. Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

In the wake of a father’s passing, a storm of emotions crashes over us. He was a pillar, a guide, a confidant, and sometimes even a playful adversary. This absence leaves a profound emptiness, echoing with the stories untold and moments unshared. This selection of poems offers a range of voices to navigate this complex grief. Here, you may find verses that capture the fierce love, the quiet lessons learned, the ache of loss, and perhaps even a spark of gratitude for the legacy your father leaves behind.

by Joanna Fuchs

You may have thought I didn’t see,
Or that I hadn’t heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word.
Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we’d grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It’s written on my heart.
Without you, Dad, I wouldn’t be
The (woman)(man) I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away.
I’ve grown up with your values,
And I’m very glad I did;
So here’s to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid.

by Rebecca D. Cook

He wasn’t a hero,
Known by the world.
But a hero he was,
To his little girl.

My daddy was God,
Who knew all things.
And better than Santa,
With the gifts he’d bring.

I knew his voice,
Before I could speak.
And loved it when,
He would sing me to sleep.

He changed my diapers,
And sat up all night.
When my body was weak
And I’d put up a fight.

He’d come home late,
With not much to say.
And made us all kneel,
As he taught me to pray.

He taught me life’s lessons,
Of right from wrong.
And instilled in me values,
That I might be strong.

And so through the years,
Like a hero he stood.
Working to give,
All that he could.

His presence was important,
And we loved to see him smile.
For no one in the world,
Could emulate his style.

And so dear Dad,
My best memory to recall.
Is the gift of your presence,
The greatest gift of all.

by Jazmyn M. Winder

I sit here and daydream of
my future and how it seems
I can picture my wedding day
my daddy walking me down the aisle
To meet my fate
I look over at him and see a single
Tear
he thinks he’s losing his baby
His biggest fear
but I love him more than ever on this
Day
so I look at him and blow a kiss
His way

He has been there for every single
day of my life
He has been the provider through all
the struggle and strive
I would be lost if he hadn’t shown me
the way
I don’t know that I would have made it
from day to day
I am so very lucky for all he has
done
Out of all dads, he is the very best one

by Unknown

God saw that he was getting tired,
A cure was not to be.
So He put His arms around him
and whispered, “Come with Me.”
With tearful eyes, we watched him suffer,
And saw him fade away.
Although we loved him dearly,
We could not make him stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes “the best”.

by Unknown

We’ll always remember
That special smile,
That caring heart,
That warm embrace,
You always gave us.
You being there
For Mom and us
Through good and bad times,
No matter what.
We’ll always remember
You Dad because
They’ll never be another one
To replace you in our hearts,
And the love we will always
Have for you

by Debra Marie Stratton-VanBuskirk

Goodbye Dad, I had to say
A few months ago on a cold winter day
I’ll remember the good times and try not to be sad
But saying goodbye still hurts so bad
I miss you more then I can express
My love for you will never grow less
I keep trying to imagine how I will go on
I realize tomorrow is another dawn
I know you’re in heaven above
Looking down on us with all your love
Only to whisper in our ear
Remember that I’ll never stopped loving you dear
I’ll always remember the good times we had
Remember the man, my wonderful Dad
I’ll remember you each and every day
And if I need to talk to you, I’ll just sit down and pray
One day we’ll be together again
To talk about all the places we been
Until the time I’ll always treasure
Having you for a Dad was such a great pleasure.

by Unknown

Not how did he die, but how did he live?
Not what did he gain, but what did he give?
These are the units to measure the worth
Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.
Not, what was his church, nor what was his creed?
But had he befriended those really in need?
Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?
Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,
But how many were sorry when he passed away.

by W.H. Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.