Funeral Poems for Dad: Comforting Words for Your Final Goodbye

Losing a father is one of life’s most profound losses. Finding the right words to honor his memory and express your grief can feel overwhelming during this difficult time. Funeral poems for dad can provide comfort, help you process your emotions, and serve as a beautiful tribute during memorial services.

These carefully selected poems capture the special bond between fathers and their children. Whether you’re looking for memorial poems for father, tribute readings, or simply words that express your love, these verses offer solace and remembrance.

1. Only a Dad by Edgar Guest

The Poem:

Only a dad with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame
To show how well he has played the game;
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice
To see him come and to hear his voice.

Only a dad with a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.

Summary: This beloved poem honors the everyday heroism of fathers who work tirelessly for their families without seeking recognition or glory.

2. A Father’s Love by Helen Steiner Rice

The Poem:

A father's love is something special,
A treasure beyond compare,
It's constant and it's faithful,
A burden he's willing to share.

He may not say "I love you"
As often as he should,
But his actions speak much louder
And he loves you more than words could.

So remember all the sacrifices
That your father made for you,
And though he may be gone now,
His love will see you through.

Summary: This touching poem reminds us that a father’s love often shows through actions rather than words, creating a lasting legacy that continues beyond death.

3. Walk A Little Slower Daddy (Author Unknown)

The Poem:

Walk a little slower, Daddy,
Said a little child so small.
I'm following in your footsteps
And I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up,
You're what I want to be.
Then I will have a little child
Who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you.

Summary: This heartfelt poem captures the profound influence fathers have on their children, serving as role models whose guidance shapes future generations.

4. Mirror – A Poem for Dad by J. Allen Shaw

The Poem:

Sometimes when I look in the mirror,
I see your face looking back at me.
Your eyes, your smile, your gentle ways,
All the things you've given me.

I hear your voice in my laughter,
Feel your strength when times are tough.
Though you're not here beside me,
Your love is more than enough.

In every choice I make,
In every path I take,
I carry you within me,
And that will never break.

Summary: This modern poem explores how fathers live on through their children, reflected in physical features, mannerisms, and the values they instilled.

5. The Dash by Linda Ellis

The Poem:

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning... to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth
and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

So when your eulogy is being read, with your life's actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?

Summary: This powerful poem reminds us that life’s meaning lies not in the dates of birth and death, but in how we live the time between them.

6. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas

The Poem:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Summary: This famous villanelle celebrates the fighting spirit and refusal to surrender that characterizes strong fathers, even in the face of mortality.

7. She Is Gone (He Is Gone) – David Harkins

The Poem:

You can shed tears that he is gone
Or you can smile because he has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left

Your heart can be empty because you can't see him
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

Summary: This comforting poem offers a choice between focusing on loss or celebrating the love and memories that remain after a father’s passing.

8. A Limb Has Fallen by Unknown Author

The Poem:

A limb has fallen from the family tree.
I keep hearing a voice that says, "Grieve not for me.
Remember the best times, the laughter, the song.
The good life I lived while I was strong.

Continue my heritage, I'm counting on you.
Keep smiling and surely the sun will shine through.
My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest.
Remembering all, how I truly was blessed.

Continue traditions, no matter how small.
Go on with your life, don't worry about falls.
I miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin.
Until the day comes we're together again."

Summary: This gentle poem imagines a departed father speaking words of comfort, encouraging family members to continue living fully while honoring his memory.

9. Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland

The Poem:

Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Summary: This reassuring poem suggests that death is merely a transition, and the bond between father and child remains unchanged by physical separation.

10. When Tomorrow Starts Without Me by David Romano

The Poem:

When tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me.

I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things
We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too.

Summary: This touching poem speaks from the perspective of a departed father, offering comfort and acknowledging the mutual love that transcends death.

11. My Father’s Hands by Unknown Author

The Poem:

His hands were rough and calloused,
From years of honest work.
They could gentle a crying baby,
Or make a grown man smirk.

Those hands that once held mine so tight,
When I was scared or small,
Are folded now in peaceful rest,
But I remember them all.

The way they'd tousle up my hair,
Or pat me on the back,
Those loving hands that guided me
When I was off the track.

Summary: This memorial poem focuses on the physical memory of a father’s hands as symbols of his love, work, and guidance throughout life.

12. Captain of My Soul – A Father’s Strength by Unknown Author

The Poem:

In the storms of life, you were my anchor,
Strong and steady, never swayed.
When the world seemed dark and frightening,
You were the light that never fade.

Captain of our family ship,
Navigator of our dreams,
You taught us how to weather storms
And sail toward brighter streams.

Though you've set sail for distant shores
Where we cannot follow yet,
Your compass of love still guides us
And we'll never forget.

Summary: Using nautical metaphors, this poem celebrates a father’s role as the steady leader and protector of his family.

13. The Measure of a Man by Unknown Author

The Poem:

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?

Summary: This poem defines a man’s worth not by his possessions or status, but by his kindness, generosity, and the positive impact he had on others.

14. A Father’s Love Lives On by Unknown Author

The Poem:

Though your voice we cannot hear,
Your spirit hovers ever near.
In every sunset's golden ray,
We feel your love throughout the day.

In gentle breezes that caress,
In moments of our happiness,
We know that you are always there,
Surrounding us with love and care.

Death cannot stop a father's love,
It lives on earth and heaven above.
So until we meet again someday,
We'll feel your love in every way.

Summary: This comforting poem assures readers that a father’s love continues after death, manifesting in nature and daily life experiences.

15. The Legacy by Unknown Author

The Poem:

A heritage of faith and love,
A legacy so true,
These are the gifts our father left
For me and all of you.

His wisdom guides our daily steps,
His courage makes us strong,
The values that he taught us
Will live in us lifelong.

Though we cannot touch his hand
Or hear his voice today,
His love remains forever
And will never fade away.

Summary: This poem focuses on the lasting impact of a father’s teachings and values, emphasizing how they continue to guide family members.

16. Safely Home by Unknown Author

The Poem:

I am home in Heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.

Do not grieve for me so sadly,
Grieve not for my pain is done.
Up here all is peace and gladness
In the glory of the Son.

Summary: This spiritual poem offers comfort by imagining a departed father in a peaceful, joyful afterlife, free from earthly pain and struggle.

17. Dad’s Old Shirt by Unknown Author

The Poem:

I found it hanging in the closet,
Dad's old favorite shirt.
Still smells like his cologne,
Mixed with honest sweat and dirt.

This simple piece of fabric
Holds a thousand memories dear,
Of hugs and Sunday mornings,
And having Daddy near.

I'll keep it as a treasure,
This shirt he used to wear,
For when I hold it close to me,
I feel that he's still there.

Summary: This intimate poem uses the simple image of a father’s shirt to represent the tangible memories and emotional connections that remain after loss.

18. The Garden of Memory by Unknown Author

The Poem:

In the garden of memory,
In the palace of dreams,
That is where you will find me,
Until we meet again.

In the place where hope is deathless,
And love forever reigns,
Where the song goes on forever,
In the sunshine and the rain.

Though the path leads through the valley,
Though the night seems dark and long,
In the garden of remembrance,
Echoes still your loving song.

Summary: This poetic tribute suggests that departed fathers live on in the “garden of memory,” where love and hope eternal.

19. Strong Hands, Gentle Heart by Unknown Author

The Poem:

Strong hands that worked so hard each day
To provide for those he loved,
Gentle heart that always cared
Like angels from above.

He taught us right from wrong,
Showed us how to stand up tall,
Even when he wasn't perfect,
He gave his very all.

Now those hands are folded,
That heart beats here no more,
But his love lives on within us
Just like it did before.

Summary: This poem honors the dual nature of fatherhood – the strength required to provide and protect, combined with the gentleness needed to nurture and guide.

20. Until We Meet Again by Unknown Author

The Poem:

Though we're parted for a season,
There's a message I would send:
"Death is just a door between us,
Until we meet again."

All the love we shared together
Lives within my heart today,
And the memories we created
Will never fade away.

So I'll live each day with purpose,
Make you proud in all I do,
Until that day when God allows
My heart to come home to you.

Summary: This final poem offers hope for reunion while encouraging readers to live meaningfully in honor of their father’s memory.

How to Use These Funeral Poems for Dad

These memorial poems for father can serve various purposes during your time of grief:

During the Funeral Service: Choose one or two poems that best capture your father’s spirit.

In Obituaries: Select meaningful verses or stanzas to include in newspaper obituaries or online memorial pages.

Personal Comfort: Read these poems privately when you need comfort or want to feel connected to your father’s memory.

Anniversary Remembrances: Use these verses on birthdays, Father’s Day, or the anniversary of his passing to honor his memory.