61 Beautiful Poems About Family Love, Strength, And Support

Image: ShutterStock

Families are blessings. Though your siblings can be irritating and your parents could be stricter at times, you know they will always be there by your side through highs and lows to love and support you. So pick some beautiful poems about family from our post to share the purest expression of love with them.

Poets have attempted to portray the unconditional love that spans generations and families through some wonderful verses and define what it means to be a part of a lineage or inheritance. This post comprises a list of some of the best family poems you may read and share with your loved ones or relatives, celebrating your family’s heritage and the special bond that connects you all.

61 Poems About Family

1. Pokeberries

Image: IStock

I started out in the Virginia mountains
with my grandma’s pansy bed
and my Aunt Maud’s dandelion wine.
We lived on greens and back-fat and biscuits.
My Aunt Maud scrubbed right through the linoleum.
My daddy was a Northerner who played drums
and chewed tobacco and gambled.

He married my mama on the rebound.
Who would want an ignorant hill girl with red hair?
They took a Pullman up to Indianapolis
and someone stole my daddy’s wallet.
My whole life has been stained with pokeberries.
No man seemed right for me. I was awkward
until I found a good wood-burning stove.
There is no use asking what it means.
With my first piece of ready cash I bought my own
place in Vermont; kerosene lamps, dirt road.
I’m sticking here like a porcupine up a tree.
Like the one our neighbor shot. Its bones and skin
hung there for three years in the orchard.
No amount of knowledge can shake my grandma out of me;
or my Aunt Maud; or my mama, who didn’t just bite an apple
with her big white teeth. She split it in two.

—Ruth Stone (1915–2011)

2. The Stick-Together Families

The stick-together families are happier by far
Than the brothers and the sisters who take separate highways are.
The gladdest people living are the wholesome folks who make
A circle at the fireside that no power but death can break.
And the finest of conventions ever held beneath the sun
Are the little family gatherings when the busy day is done.
There are rich folk, there are poor folk, who imagine they are wise,
And they’re very quick to shatter all the little family ties.
Each goes searching after pleasure in his own selected way,
Each with strangers likes to wander, and with strangers likes to play.
But it’s bitterness they harvest, and it’s empty joy they find,
For the children that are wisest are the stick-together kind.

– Edgar A. Guest, allpoetry.com

3. Sonnets Are Full of Love

Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome
Has many sonnets: so here now shall be
One sonnet more, a love sonnet, from me
To her whose heart is my heart’s quiet home,
To my first Love, my Mother, on whose knee
I learnt love-lore that is not troublesome;
Whose service is my special dignity,
And she my loadstar while I go and come
And so because you love me, and because
I love you, Mother, I have woven a wreath
Of rhymes wherewith to crown your honoured name:
In you not fourscore years can dim the flame
Of love, whose blessed glow transcends the laws
Of time and change and mortal life and death.
—Christina Rossetti (1830–94)

4. Home

It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home,
A heap o’ sun an’ shadder, an’ ye sometimes have t’ roam
Afore ye really ‘preciate the things ye lef’ behind,
An’ hunger fer ’em somehow, with ’em allus on yer mind.
It don’t make any differunce how rich ye get t’ be,
How much yer chairs an’ tables cost, how great yer luxury;
It ain’t home t’ ye, though it be the palace of a king,
Until somehow yer soul is sort o’ wrapped round everything.
Home ain’t a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute;
Afore it’s home there’s got t’ be a heap o’ livin’ in it;
Within the walls there’s got t’ be some babies born, and then
Right there ye’ve got t’ bring ’em up t’ women good, an’ men;
And gradjerly as time goes on, ye find ye wouldn’t part
With anything they ever used — they’ve grown into yer heart:
The old high chairs, the playthings, too, the little shoes they wore
Ye hoard; an’ if ye could ye’d keep the thumb-marks on the door.

– Edgar A. Guest

5. I Love My Family So Much

To be a part of a family like mine
is so divine
where love is shown
hurt is shared
our love for each other is never impaired

we talk
we laugh
we cry
but we are a family
and we do it all together
for as a family
we do it all as one

you hurt one
you hurt all
and as a family unit
we will all stand tall
for we are family
a family full of strength
a family full of love
a family no one can touch
that’s why I love my family so much.

—Mahfooz Ali

6. A Family Is Like A Circle

A family is like a circle.
The connection never ends,
and even if at times it breaks,
in time it always mends.
A family is like the stars.
Somehow they’re always there.
Families are those who help,
who support and always care.
A family is like a book.
The ending’s never clear,
but through the pages of the book,
their love is always near.
A family is many things.
With endless words that show
who they are and what they do
and how they teach you so you know.
But don’t be weary if it’s broken
or if through time it’s been so worn.
Families are like that –
they’re split up and always torn.
But even if this happens,
your family will always be.
They help define just who you are
and will be a part of you eternally.

–Nicole M. O’Neil

7. Family Love Forever

Have u ever thought actually
What it would be like, without a family.

Family is the only one,
Where one experiences best of fun.
Family is an elegant necklace,
Whose bond may appear broken
But deep inside, their hearts are still one.

When the unwanted sorrows seem longer than a mile,
Your dear old family makes you smile.

When because of a mistake no event
Works out for your sake.
When life refuses to mend
There comes a sharp bend,
Family gives necessary amends,
To the family all worries can be sent.

In a fraction of time,
Your sorrows will leave
It may sound absurd
But you’ve got to believe.

Wherever you may be,
You belong to the pack.
And to them you can always go back.

—.Pd.

8. A Tribute To Family

I don’t know when it started,
Or how it all began,
But God created families,
As only our Lord can.
He was teaching what it means
To love, honor, and obey.
He wanted a strong bond
That we don’t see too much today.
He wanted someone to hold us
And show respect for others.
He wanted someone who’d be gentle,
So he created mothers.
He wanted someone strong,
A support filled with love,
So he created fathers,
Sent from heaven up above.
Brothers and sisters came next,
With that, an instant friend.
Someone to look up to,
Someone on whom to depend.

When he put them all together,
He was amazed at what he’d done.
He had created a family,
Mother, father, daughter, son.
But look at the family,
Created by only two.
How many we’ve become,
And all because of you.
We have a lot to be thankful for,
The memories through the years.
The many times together,
Full of laughter, full of tears.
I don’t know where we’d be today,
If it weren’t for the two of you.
To show us strength, support, and love,
Like only the two of you can do.

–Michelle A. Moran

9. Family Comes Together

Image: IStock

Family comes together
For always and forever
In sickness and in health
In poverty or in wealth
Family comes together
For always and forever
Without any reason
Anytime or any season
Family comes together
For always and forever
In death or in life
In happiness or in strife
Family comes together
For always and forever
In anger or in kindness
Whether all seeing or in blindness
Family comes together
For always and forever
Whether for work or for play
They somehow find a way
For family to come together
Because families are forever

—Glaedr the poet

10. The Blessings Of A Big Family

The blessings of a big family
are only seen by a few
A few of the chosen ones
that God has given this blessing to
The blessings are so numerous
it’s hard to even start
to number or to name them but
they all hold a place in the heart
The heart of every person in a
big family is unique
its uniqueness makes us special
and should not be critiqued
The memories that are made
are more precious than gold
from babies to weddings
from young and to old
From grandparents to grandchildren
and everyone in between
the many special relationships that are built
and could have never been foreseen
Thank you God
for my big family I will treasure
through the good times and bad
the memories could not be measured
Thank you God
for birthdays, simple get-togethers and even the tears
for I pray that these blessings
last many, many more years
To have a big family
can be a lot of work, not just play
but life is too short
so I THANK GOD FOR MY BIG FAMILY TODAY!

– Jennifer L. Sylvester

11. Family First

One of the most heart felt feelings is
Putting your family first
It doesn’t require a scholar or math whiz
To recognize one suffering from thirst
Whether it be for liquid or love
My parents put family first with education
Taught about respect and God above
About land and its preservation
And about family and friends
Sharing the present and the past
Making family number one with love that never ends
And memories that last and last!
—Ouida Nell Greene

12. I Love You All, My Family

When monsters lurked beneath my bed
And scary dreams ran through my head,
When thunder growled those sounds I dread,
There you were,
My father.
When scuffed up knees made me cry,
Soft hankies wiped my sad eyes dry,
Coaxing me each time I tried.
You were always there,
My mother.
Who held my hand when I was scared?
Ate candy that he should have shared?
The things I did because you dared,
My brother.
In times of trouble, times of need,
I feel such strength surrounding me,
Without whose love I can’t succeed.
I love you all, my family.

– Shayla S. Randolph

13. The Family Tree

We’ve got a family album
Like a family tree
A thrill to turn the pages
The pictures we can see

Starting off with grands and greats
Then slowly down the line
Like a book of history
A journey through the time

Fashions start to alter
Mustaches come and go
Ladies skirts skip up and down
A proper fashion show

Top hats change to boaters
To caps then none at all
Ladies bonnets disappear
And so does grannies shawl

Picture’s change to colour
Black and white has gone
A different place, a different time
So much to look upon

But what is so amazing
Is the likeness we can see
Showing up the genes
Right through our family tree

—Olive Walters

14. To My Family With Love

The love of this family can show the work of God
To prevail over our weakest of moments
To lend a hand or mend a broken heart.
To cry or laugh with one another shall always be
Embraced with open arms and a smiling face.
Times they are tough, but alone you will never be
To have the love of this family
It’s as easy as one, two, three.
The joy of a birth, to watch a little life grow
Are memories to cherish that we will never let go
The pain of a death, the emptiness felt inside,
The family is all here, no need to hide
Over the years our surroundings have changed
Now God has blessed us with a little James.
May our daughters grow into little women
They better all remember my sweet baby lemon.
To be so lucky to have a family like this
When we all get to Heaven, God deserves a big kiss.

– Anna C. Butler

15. Family First

Friends may come and friends may go
Family is first and this I know
Putting friends first is a mistake
And not one that you should make

Family’s forever and this I know
Friends enter your life and then they go
Making friends is fun trust me with this
But not something you would miss

Love your family while they are here
Keep their love very near
Family can leave the world at any time
So don’t make yourself feel like slime

Family is here to comfort you
I know your friends do this too
Without your family you would be lost
Hold on to them no matter the cost

—Bonnie B Long

16. The Power Of Family

Family is
heaven sent from our father above,
bonded by the power of love.
No matter what, family has each other’s backs
when push comes to shove.
Family is
understanding, never demanding,
all for one and one for all.
I will never leave you alone standing.
Family is
one in itself; my love is your love.
Your pain is my pain, my wealth is your wealth.
I promise to never leave you by yourself.
Family is
the strongest team, the strongest unit.
If love could be visualized,
family would be the blueprint.
Family is
forgiveness and patience.
It’s sweeter than the sweetest fragrance.
The power of family is a reflection of God’s compassion and magnificence.
–  Antony Smith, mypoetricside.com

17. Family

As his son was to start school
Dad wrote poems everyday
The poems turned into a cap, a satchel
textbooks, crayons
and a small umbrella
On the first day of April
his son went with Mom
through the town full of cherry blossoms
to the People’s School in an old castle
to attend its first grade entrance ceremony
At home, now left quiet,
Dad was alone with an aged maid
listening to bulbuls’ calls
listening to the sea’s roar
as if he hadn’t heard them for a long time

—Tatsuji Miyoshi (1900–1964) Translated by Takako Lento (2010)

18. Family Matters

How often do we push aside
The thought to make a call
To just one family member
Who we rarely see at all?
Do we know if they are doing well
Or married still?
Do we know if someone close to them
Is sick or very ill?
Are we concerned at how much time
Has passed since we last met?
And are we sure we can afford
To sit and just forget?
We should not waste another day
In doing things we’d rather.
Instead, we should reach out once more
Because our family matters.

– Martha Anderson

19. Family

God gave each of us a special family
that we can call our own.
A family that loves us for who we are
so we would never feel alone.

They may not like everything we do
or everything we say,
but the beautiful thing about “family”
is that they love us anyway.

Sometimes we feel rejected
by people who do not care,
but our hearts are warmed when remembering
that our family is always there!

So hug them a little more often,
for sometimes we hurt the ones we love.
And tell them how much you love them,
for they were sent to you from above.

—Josephine Zavala-Florez

20. My Equator…The Center Of The World

You are the meaning of strength
at its highest peak.
You have courage
when the rest of us are weak.
You inspire me
to live for the now
and to never give up
because you don’t know how.
I’ve learned from you
why family comes first.
It’s because when you need them,
they’re there when you hurt.
No matter the pain,
it all hurts the same.
And family you can count on
to always remain.
When the road gets rocky,
you seem to take each bump
and walk over them smoothly,
hump after hump.
You have no idea
about the effect you’ve made,
and with the lessons I’ve learned
my life’s made a change.
Not just a change
but also a growth.
From an immature child
to a young woman with hope.
– Jackie D. Karp,

21. My Family

Looking back at my life
my family has always been there
right from the start of my life
we have a long history together

Inevitably there will be moments
of conflicting emotions even anger
yet family is my stronghold
in times of crises and sufferings

When I was down
my family was there to pick me up
when I was unwell and ill
my family poured forth love and care
During times when I was lost
I was guided back to my family
during times when I was fornlorn
my family was my undying supporters

Through tears and anguish
through joys and laughters
through growing up and maturing
my family weathered through it all

My heart fills up tenderly
with love and appreciation
with deep emotions and deep gratitude
my family is always a part of my life!
—Fion Lim

22. Family Reunion

Not enough hours in the day, we often say
we watch as the busyness of life allows time to slip away.
Before we know, days turn to months and months into years,
Time is mapped with laughter and cheers,
the long road sometimes landmarked with sadness and tears.
Elders pass and children grow.
Has it been that long we ask, where does the time go?
Not every chance to gather is taken.
“We’ll see them next time,” we say and hope we’re not mistaken.
A chance like now comes once in a lifetime, it seems,
when the bright light of family is nurtured and beams.
There will be laughter and time to reminisce.
We will all be proud this is a chance we did not miss.

– Ryan Guerrero

23. Family Reunions

Image: IStock

Siblings different as day and night
Same environment we grew up in
Each carrying one’s own character
Diverse values and mindsets
Distinct set of life priorities
Living out lives in various ways

When occasion calls for a reunion
Grievances and complaints cast aside
Differences melt into saw dust
Nothing heavy nothing embarrassing
Just happy chat as best as can be
Reveling in family ties for good measure

Memories of the old a common thread
Laughter and merry-making aplenty
Cherishing the limited time together
Basking in unbreakable bonds of kinship
Before each departing back to own life
Oh the ties of family and reunions
—Fion Lim

24. The Thing About Family…

The thing about family is,
You may not always like them,
But you’re always going to love them.
It just might take a little while sometimes
To remember that.

– Kelly Roper, aestheticpoems.com

25. I’m Going Home

The unrelenting tug at my heart
Something is amiss
I’ve been away from home
For too many days weeks months
I’m going home

My mother she misses me
My family is waiting for me
Kinship binds hearts together
Roots of love run deep
I’m going home

No matter how far I’m away
Oceans mountains or miles apart
A part of me never leaves home
Home is where my family resides
I’m going back home

—Fion Lim

26. Mother To Son

Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

– Langston Hughes, poetryfoundation.org

27. A Happy Family

A happy family is one blessed by God!
Both parents slog all life for their children;
And children honor parents, without rod;
All walk united en way to Heaven.

A happy family lives in piety;
Their home is warm and welcomes everyone;
They’re satisfied and live with satiety;
There’s time for love, care, work, play, also fun!

A happy family loves its neighbors well;
All share their joys, woes, grief and problems too;
Their faith in God, their smiling faces tell;
With divine aim, all earthly works, they do!

A happy family prays in harmony;
God meets their needs of body, soul, money!
—Dr. A.Celestine Raj Manohar

28. An Ocean Of Memories

My family is the ocean around us.
My father is the hurricane,
knocking anything and everybody out of his path.
My mother is the sunshine after the storm (my father),
clearing and calming everything else.
My oldest brother is the sand,
kicked and blown away by my dad,
but warmed with care by my mom.
My oldest sister is the breeze in the wind,
cool, quiet, and there when you need her.
My other two brothers are the stingrays,
dangerous,
but also willing to fight anyone who comes along.
And I,
I am an old ship at the bottom of the sea,
lost, abandoned, but full of memories.

– Kimberly L. Briones,  aestheticpoems.com

29. A Tribute To The Family

Of all the silver and the gold,
of all the gems our eyes behold,
we look around and see the sky
and all the clouds go rolling by.
We hear the noise of aer-o-planes,
and listen to the birds that sing.
And then O’ God inside of me a voice
speaks so soft and sweet! And then I
raise my hands to Thee and Thank You
for my family. The trees in all their beauty be….
In God’s creation speaks to me. The
grass, the flowers and all the shrubs
and indications of God’s love. The
mountains, valleys, hills, and vales
and even along some lonesome trail
and then O’ God inside of me a voice speaks so soft
and sweet, and then I raise my hands to Thee
and Thank You for my family. We are all created by God above, and
brought together by His love. We are one
blood, we are all kin, and we are also
each others friend. Wherever we travel across this land, we pray that God will
hold our hands. From every sea to shining sea,
where ever I go, wherever I be the soft sweet
voice speaks inside of me, and then I raise
my hands to Thee, O’ God, Thank You for my
family.
—Connie Baker

30. Family Tree

It seems strange to me
That a family tree is drawn from the top of the page.
Instead, draw mine with roots deeply planted in firm ground
Like forefathers, whose stories retold,
Nourish us.
Draw the trunk giving support and power,
Strongly branching out
So that young shoots can reach high
And buds,
Some yet unfurled,
May catch dreams in sunlight.

– Alison Jean Thomas,  aestheticpoems.com

31. Family

Tell me what does family mean to you
Is it all the little special things one another do
Or is it the bond that one another has
Maybe its the love from one generation to another one it pass
Family is more than a six letter word
It is a word that often need to be heard
Family is more than realitives they are friends
Friend that will stick with you to the very very end
A family bond is stronger than ever
Because it can overcome any stormy weather
A family stand tall no matter how hard they fall
Uniting as one when their backs against the wall
That is simply what a family do
Helping you become a better you
So when you think about the word family
Think beyound just the background history
Like they say a empty house is not a home
And a true faithful family never stands alone
—Jeanette Matthews

32. Treasured Gift

A cherished gift
Your family’s love
A gift to me
From God above
Embraced my life
With open arms
I feel so safe
Away from harm
You make me feel
Like I belong
A strange emotion
Once thought gone
Your family’s trust
I’ll always keep
Your family’s love
I’ll treasure deep

— Margaret A. Raikowski

33. Family Ties

Family ties are precious things
woven through the years,
of memories, togetherness,
of laughter, love and tears.

Family ties are treasured things
forged in childhood days,
by love of parents, deep and tru,
by tradition, by family ways.

Family ties are treasured things
and although we may roam,
the tender bond with those we love
still pulls our hearts towards home.
—Virginia Moore

34. The Ultimate Guide To Having A Family

Grandmas are beams of sunshine built into a hug
That leaves a smile on your face and love within you heart
Grandpas are the wise ole ones that are cuddly as a bear
Who always have a neat new trick and story yet to share
Then there’s aunts and uncles, who let us play around
Who we can share our wishes with and still wrestle to the ground
Sisters are our best of friends even when the times are tough
They’re there to hold each other’s hand and be each other’s rock
Brothers often feel the same though it can be too soft to hear
But underneath the silent bond, the love runs strong and clear
And all the above can come in more than one, even more than a pair of two
There’s cousins, ‘greats’, ‘in-laws’, ‘steps’, nieces, nephews, and even pets
That warm our hearts and give us joy
Making treasured memories that last a lifetime through
Still the most important two we cannot leave unsaid
Is the love and life that surrounds around that of a mom and dad
For dad is warmth and gentle breezes that stir us in our soul
Guides us in such qualities of dignity, integrity,
and values we should hold
And in those moments when we reflect on what it all should mean
Mom is there at the core, the heart of the family
She lights our path with every step we take so we can see our way
She’s really what the roots are made of in our family tree

– Katherine E. Harmon

35. The Family Tree

Image: IStock

One tree outlives the mighty oak
Because it’s made of special folk,
Through generations changing form,
Providing shelter from life’s storm.

Our parents’ parents and before,
Who may have lived on distant shores,
They root our lives in memories;
We’re nourished by their histories.

A sturdy trunk that lends support
And gives us care of every sort –
The fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts,
Who nurture us like tender plants
The children, branching toward the sky,
Have brand new dreams and deeds to try.
And babies, buds that seem so small,
Will flower so the tree grows tall.
—Jim Wolf

36. My Mother

Who sat and watched my infant head
When sleeping on my cradle bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed?
My Mother.

When pain and sickness made me cry,
Who gazed upon my heavy eye,
And wept for fear that I should die?
My Mother.

Who taught my infant lips to pray
And love God’s holy book and day,
And walk in wisdom’s pleasant way?
My Mother.
And can I ever cease to be
Affectionate and kind to thee,
Who wast so very kind to me,
My Mother?

Ah, no! the thought I cannot bear,
And if God please my life to spare
I hope I shall reward they care,
My Mother.

When thou art feeble, old and grey,
My healthy arm shall be thy stay,
And I will soothe thy pains away,
My Mother.

– Ann Taylor, allpoetry.com

37. Family

There’s a special kind of closeness
that only families know,
That begins with childhood trust
and deepens as you grow.

There’s a special kind of happiness
in sharing little things,
The laughter, smiles, and quiet talks
that daily living brings.

There’s a special kind of comfort
in knowing your family’s there,
To back you up, to cheer you up
to understand and care.

Of all the treasures life may bring,
your family means the most,
And whether near or far apart,
That love will hold you close.
—Glenda Campbell

38. My Perfect Father

held my mum’s hand for the three days
I took to be born, worked nights so she could sleep
between feeds, soaped me with Johnson’s Baby Bath
alongside two floating books of ABC,
taught me to spell playing Scrabble,
offered a pink Smartie if I got the letters right
and yellow when they were wrong,
led nature walks through bluebell woods,
showed me how to swim at Margate pool,
dried my tears when I was scared of diving,
bought me my first Speedo when I did,
loved my mother, my sister and our beagle Simba,
shared his money so we had plenty to eat,
didn’t shatter an airing rod across Simba’s back,
didn’t sleep with nurses, didn’t leave my mum,
my sister, Simba and I. Never lied.

– Katrina Naomi, poetrysociety.org

39. Little Sister

The day they got bashed up by Barry’s gang
then smashed his father’s biggest Queensland Blue
and stonked the roof with marbles for an hour,
their mother, bursting at the seams, came due.

Discussing trip-wires, ambushes and bombs,
they walked the seven streets to Aracan.
Their grandmother kept dropping things. “Drat!”
She’d tipped the peelings in the billycan.

“Now Mam, you stay put in that chair,”
their grandfather heaped pine-cones on the fire
and made some bubble and squeak with cheese and sauce
while they played Snakes and Ladders on the floor.

Late that night they heard their father’s car
and listened from the dark carved-wooden bed.
The back door clicked. “A girl, both well,” “Thank God!”
“Let’s put the kettle on,” their Papa said.
—Jan Owen

40. My Siblings

Life is passing so quickly,
Dreams are proliferating so rapidly,
But in the middle of all these,
Memories are embracing so tightly.
The time we spent together was most memorable,
The days we live apart were most dreadful,
The fights we shared together were most dangerous,
Still the care we tend to do is most wondrous.
Rare is the love which I receive from you,
Precious is the knowledge which I receive from you,
But paramount of all these,
Peculiar are my siblings which I receive from God.

—Ekta Sharma

41. From Dad

I never thought I could love someone
The way that I love you
I’m completely fascinated
With everything you do.
I don’t regret a moment with you
Whether good or bad
You have made my life complete,
The best life a boy could have.
You might not ever notice
Everything I do,
But everything I’m doing
Is for no one else but you.
My goal in life is simple
It’s to be your father first.
To protect, defend and love you
When you are at your worst.
I know when you grow older
You won’t want me anymore.
If you ever need me, though
I’ll be waiting at the door.
Promise you will come to me
With any problem that you have.
I’ll always be right here for you.
I love you both! Love, Dad.

—Richard Burge

42. Those Wintry Days

Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he’d call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?
—Robert Hayden, poets.org

43. A Mother’s Love

A Mother’s love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,

It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .

It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking.
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .

It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .

It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .

A many splendored miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God’s tender guiding hand.
—Helen Steiner Rice

44. Exhibitions Of Love

A pat on the hand,
A peck on the cheek,
A slap on the back,
A hug.
No need to speak.
Family love is all around
Like air in a room
Invisible but always present.
—Alison Jean Thomas

45. Family Likeness

“You’re just like them!” they say.
And me, I yell, “No way!
He’s so moody,
She’s so shrill,
His chin juts out,
Boy can she shout!
His nose is big,
And mine’s quite small
There’s no resemblance at all.”

But then on days of harmony
I find that I agree.
Our family is made of different parts,
But we’re all the same
In our hearts.
—Alison Jean Thomas

46. What Family Means To Me

What family means to me is more
Than mere words can convey.
It’s been the basis for my life
And how I’ve faced each day.
The nurturing of Mom and Dad
From birth to puberty
Instilled in me a sense of worth
And love for family.
The holiday festivities
The picnics in the park
The campouts by the river
And my Mother’s prayers at dark
Are just a few examples
From my childhood memories
That show the warmth of family
And what they’ve meant to me.
The close knit love of siblings
With my parents’ T.L.C.
Has made me know and feel the warmth
That bonds a family.

—Marilyn R. Barfield, aestheticspoems.com

47. Human Family

I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.
Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.
The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.
I’ve sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I’ve seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.
I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I’ve not seen any two
who really were the same.
Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.
We love and lose in China,
we weep on England’s moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.
We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we’re the same.
I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike

– Maya Angelou, allpoetry.com

48. Simple Truths About Family

Family, the people you share everything with…
Including colds, looks, leftovers, and feuds.

Family, the people you love the most…
But pretend not to know when you’re out in public together.

Family, the people you can really count on…
To borrow clothes, money, and get on your last nerve.

Family, the people you respect…
Even though you’d rather die than let friends find out how crazy they are.

Family, the people you just can’t live without…
Even though sometimes you’re pretty sure you’d like to give it a try.

—Kelly Roper

49. Divine Family

Family is a familiar word, everybody does know,
It is a set of relation, can you say no?
The set is just combination of children and parent,
There members of households and relatives are inherent.
It means to group of person closely related by blood,
It includes parents, children, uncle and aunts in one clod.
Family also means to group of things those are alike,
It is too all the descendants of one lineage like.
There are many types of families in human society,
Some are Nuclear family, Single parent family of humanity.
Childless and Step family are there with Extended family,
Family members dwell with love in a family happily.
In a family there is love affection and sacrifice,
Many members are tagged in one mess or in rice.
There is a member, who is head of family and mentor,
The other members obey him or her as a centre.
He or she is merciful, helpful and is meritorious,
Health and education he or she maintains continuous.
All family members engross their effort here,
All are benevolent, affectionate near and dear.
Almost families have worship room in dwelling place,
Prayer to God or meditation goes on in calm pace.
It is divine family where peace and purity are always,
Here truth, nonviolence and bliss rule over hallways.

– Kumarmani Mahakul

50. A Family Reunion

And as I approach
the light I pray my
FATHER
is there waiting for
me
As he extends his
hand
I will carry the load
moving on with him
We look toward the
silver sea
standing on the
crystal shore is my
MOTHER.
As we approach her
my family circle is
coming together
Reaching for us we
embrace
moving on we continue
toward the golden gate
There at the golden
gate waits my sweet
BROTHERS:
young and handsome
as they were in youth
My eyes fill with tears
I am overjoyed to see
them
they always took care
of sister
ANGELS
appear each carries
one of our little
BABIES
In life great our sorrow
I am thrilled to know
ANGELS
attended to them for
us
The circle is complete
a family reunion has
begun.

– Heather Burns

51. The Race To Get To Sleep

They’re on their marks, they’re set,
Their off!!
Matthew is kicking off his shoes!
Penny’s struggling out of her jumper!
He’s ripping off his trousers!
She’s got one sock off! Now the other’s off!
But Metthew’s still wining! No, he’s not!
It’s Penny! Penny’s is in the lead!
She’s down her knickers!
She’s racing out of the room!
She’s racing upstairs!
Matthew is right behind her!
There’s a fight on the landing!
There’s a scramble at the bathroom’s door!
It’s Penny! It’s Metthew! It’s…
Splash! They’re both in the bath!
But there’s a hitch!
Matthew’s got soap in his eyes!
Penny’s got soap on her nose!
They’re stalling! But no, they’re both fine!
They’re both out of the bath! They’re neck and neck!
It’s Matthew! It’s Penny! It’s Metthew!
Now’s is Penny again! She’s ahead!
She’s first on with her pyjamas!
Now Metthew is catching up! There’s nothing in it!
They’re climbing into their beds!
They’re both absolutely quiet!
It’s the hardest race in the whole world!!

—Brian Patten, poemanalysis.com

52. All In A Family Way

My banks are all furnished with rags,
So thick, even Freddy can’t thin ’em;
I’ve torn up my old money-bags,
Having little or nought to put in ’em.
My tradesman are smashing by dozens,
But this is all nothing, they say;
For bankrupts, since Adam, are cousins,
So, it’s all in the family way.
My Debt not a penny takes from me,
As sages the matter explain; –
Bob owes it to Tom and then Tommy
Just owes it to Bob back again.
Since all have thus taken to owing,
There’s nobody left that can pay;
And this is the way to keep going, –
All quite in the family way.
My senators vote away millions,
To put in Prosperity’s budget;
And though it were billions or trillions,
The generous rogues wouldn’t grudge it.
‘Tis all but a family hop,
‘Twas Pitt began dancing the hay;
Hands round! – why the deuce should we stop?
‘Tis all in the family way.

– Thomas Moore

53. No Children!

No children in the house to play–
It must be hard to live that way!
I wonder what the people do
When night comes on and the work is through,
With no glad little folks to shout,
No eager feet to race about,
No youthful tongues to chatter on
About the joy that’s been and gone?
The house might be a castle fine,
But what a lonely place to dine!

No children in the house at all,
No fingermarks upon the wall,
No corner where the toys are piled–
Sure indication of a child.
No little lips to breathe the prayer
That God shall keep you in His care,
No glad caress and welcome sweet
When night returns you to your street;
No little lips a kiss to give–
Oh, what a lonely way to live!

No children in the house! I fear
We could not stand it half a year.
What would we talk about at night,
Plan for and work with all our might,
Hold common dreams about and find
True union of heart and mind,
If we two had no greater care
Than what we both should eat and wear?
We never knew love’s brightest flame
Until the day the baby came.

And now we could not get along
Without their laughter and their song.
Joy is not bottled on a shelf,
It cannot feed upon itself,
And even love, if it shall wear,
Must find its happiness in care;
Dull we’d become of mind and speech
Had we no little ones to teach.
No children in the house to play!
Oh, we could never live that way!

—Edgar A. Guest

54. Sweet Family Of Divine Grace

Twisting back to time old memory we see,
Love builds heaven at home love is the key.
Sea of emotion floats in waves of joy light,
Father is in first from left is root of us right.
Bright future shines again by Divine’s grace,
Deep thought and meditation make bright face.
Family, family, this world is family of love,
Freedom getting in freedom flies high dove.
All elements of universe have gathered sure,
A Divine Family has wisdom of God is pure.
From grandparents and parents children learn,
All become great when righteousness they earn.
Right vision, right mission everything is right,
Divine sweetness sprinkles over all bliss light.
Youth turns to old age children become young,
Young becomes old, but God’s glory is sung.

– Kumarmani Mahakul

55. In Both the Families

In both the families that both belong to me
there is every shade of brown, and tan, and paler honey, creamy gold.

I face faces that I see in both the families that both belong to me,
and they can face my crooked grin.

Here is every shade of every color skin.
We fit in.
—Arnold Adoff

56. A Snowflake Falls

One night I saw a snowflake fall.

Past memories it did recall.

And as the snow fell to the ground,
So quietly without a sound,

I watched until a blanket made,
To glistening white – brown earth did fade.

An untouched cover until the dawn.
The sun arose; it was soon gone.

I thought of friendships in the past.
Seemed perfect though they did not last.

And family ties once meant so much,
Now rarely do we keep in touch.

So quickly life can take a turn,
Yet slowly we do seem to learn.

So many things in life can change
And suddenly be rearranged.

In our slumber while we do sleep,
For granted blessings thought to keep,

For same as night does turn to morn,
An untouched blanket can get torn,

The things that we have overlooked,
Ignored, rejected or mistook,

As melted snow does turn to slush,
Relationships can turn to dust.

So this year for the holiday,
Praise God for blessings given today.

Don’t take for granted they’ll remain,
That life forever will be the same.

Let’s be the most that we can be,
For all our friends and family.

Unlike the snowflake on the ground,
Let’s keep in touch and stay around.

—Ruth Adams, aestheticpoems.com

57. Families Can Be

Families can be big or small
The people can be short or tall
They can be full of girls and boys
They can be quiet or full of noise.

Families play a part of life
Even when there is some strife
But families can be full of love
They are truly from God above.

Appreciate your family each day
Don’t wait until they are old and gray
Be sure to say I love you
As families are with you through and through.

—Catherine Pulsifer, stresslesscountry.com

58. Family Court

One would be in less danger
From the wiles of a stranger
If one’s own kin and kith
Were more fun to be with.

—Ogden Nash

59. To My Sister

Image: IStock

It is the first mild day of March:
Each minute sweeter than before
The redbreast sings from the tall larch
That stands beside our door.

There is a blessing in the air,
Which seems a sense of joy to yield
To the bare trees, and mountains bare,
And grass in the green field.

My sister! (’tis a wish of mine)
Now that our morning meal is done,
Make haste, your morning task resign;
Come forth and feel the sun.

Edward will come with you;–and, pray,
Put on with speed your woodland dress;
And bring no book: for this one day
We’ll give to idleness.

No joyless forms shall regulate
Our living calendar:
We from to-day, my Friend, will date
The opening of the year.

Love, now a universal birth,
From heart to heart is stealing,
From earth to man, from man to earth:
–It is the hour of feeling.

One moment now may give us more
Than years of toiling reason:
Our minds shall drink at every pore
The spirit of the season.

Some silent laws our hearts will make,
Which they shall long obey:
We for the year to come may take
Our temper from to-day.

And from the blessed power that rolls
About, below, above,
We’ll frame the measure of our souls:
They shall be tuned to love.

Then come, my Sister! come, I pray,
With speed put on your woodland dress;
And bring no book: for this one day
We’ll give to idleness.

—William Wordsworth

60. Different Meanings Of Family

To some, family means mom, dad and the kids.
To others, family means single parents doing the job of two to make a home.
To some, family means living with grandparents too.
To others, family is the aunt or uncle who has stepped up to fill in for parents.
To some, family means two moms or two dads growing a family together.
To others, family means two people multiplying their love through adoption.
To some, family is limited to blood relations.
To others, family includes friends who are there through thick and thin.
To some, family is all about the people in their lives.
To others, pets are considered family members too.
Yes, family means different things to different people,
But every family has one thing in common, and that’s love.

—Kelly Roper, aestheticpoems.com

61. A Family History

At dusk the girl who will become my mom
must trudge through the snow, her legs
cold under skirts, a bandanna tight on her braids.
In the henhouse, a klook pecks her chapped hand
as she pulls a warm egg from under its breast.
This girl will always hate hens,
and she already knows she won’t marry a farmer.
In a dim barn, my father, a boy, forks hay
under the holsteins’ steaming noses.
They sway on their hooves and swat dangerous tails,
but he is thinking of snow, how it blows
across the gray pond scribbled with skate tracks,
of the small blaze on its shore, and the boys
in black coats who skate hand-in-hand
round and round, building up speed
until the leader cracks that whip
of mittens and arms, and it jerks around
fast, flinging off the last boy.
He’d be that one—flung like a spark
trailing only his scarf.

—Julia Spicher Kasdorf, poets.org

Note: The poems in this collection are not original works of MomJunction but have been sourced from various authors. No claim of ownership is being made by us. Credit has been given wherever the details were available. If you are the original author of any poem and wish to have it credited or removed, please contact us. We value the creative rights of authors and will address your request promptly.

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

No matter where you go and how many people you meet, the yearning to get back home never receeds. This video captures the bond that you share with your family.

Was this article helpful?

The following two tabs change content below.

• Reviewer
• Author
• Editor

Aika MarchantLMFT

Aika Marchant is a marriage and family therapist, licensed in Texas and California. She has six years of experience and specializes in trauma, couple therapy, and multicultural counseling. Her mother is a Japanese immigrant and her father is a white American. She grew up in Japan and moved to America when she was nine years old. Aika came from a...more

Shivank JoshiBA (Mass Communication)

Shivank is an experienced professional with a passion for writing, editing, and research. With a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from IEL, Dehradun, he previously worked as a production editor. Shivank transitioned into a writer/editor, contributing to various publications as a freelancer. He writes literature, including quotes, poems and wishes, for MomJunction. He has a special interest in music and...more

Shikha ThakurMBA

Shikha is a writer-turned-editor at MomJunction, with over seven years of experience in the field of content. Having done a certification in Relationship Coaching, her core interest lies in writing articles that guide couples through their courtship to marriage and parenthood. She also specializes in baby names. A postgraduate in Human Resources from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, she likes understanding...more