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Poems About Bad Father Child Relationships

Poems About Bad Father Child Relationships

Published: June 2018

Poems About Difficult Father Child Relationships

Father-child relationships can be strained for various reasons, such as lack of communication, different values or beliefs, lack of quality time and unresolved conflicts. These challenges can be difficult, but effort and understanding can help strengthen the bond between a father and child.

A lack of emotional connection can also be a challenge for father-child relationships. If fathers and children don't feel emotionally connected to each other, it can be difficult to build a strong, supportive relationship.

10 Poems About Difficult Father Child Relationships

Father Child Poetry Collections

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Good Father-Child Relationships

Daddy
- By Sylvia Plath
Famous Poem

In Sylvia Plath's "Daddy," the poet uses powerful and provocative language to explore complex emotions and relationships. Through vivid imagery and metaphor, Plath delves into her feelings of oppression and resentment, particularly towards her father. The poem is marked by its emotional intensity, with the speaker addressing her deceased father in a confrontational and accusatory manner. The use of metaphor, such as comparing her father to a Nazi and herself to a Jew, adds layers of meaning to the poem, while the repetition of "Daddy" underscores the speaker's struggle to come to terms with her father's memory. Plath's choice of words and imagery creates a vivid and emotionally charged narrative that delves into themes of identity, trauma, and catharsis.

in Famous Family Poems

You do not do, you do not do
Any more, black shoe
In which I have lived like a foot
For thirty years, poor and white,

You do not do, you do not do
Any more, black shoe
In which I have lived like a foot
For thirty years, poor and white,
Barely daring to breathe or Achoo.

Daddy, I have had to kill you.
You died before I had time——
Marble-heavy, a bag full of God,
Ghastly statue with one gray toe
Big as a Frisco seal

And a head in the freakish Atlantic
Where it pours bean green over blue
In the waters off beautiful Nauset.
I used to pray to recover you.
Ach, du.

In the German tongue, in the Polish town
Scraped flat by the roller
Of wars, wars, wars.
But the name of the town is common.
My Polack friend

Says there are a dozen or two.
So I never could tell where you
Put your foot, your root,
I never could talk to you.
The tongue stuck in my jaw.

It stuck in a barb wire snare.
Ich, ich, ich, ich,
I could hardly speak.
I thought every German was you.
And the language obscene

An engine, an engine
Chuffing me off like a Jew.
A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen.
I began to talk like a Jew.
I think I may well be a Jew.

The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna
Are not very pure or true.
With my gipsy ancestress and my weird luck
And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack
I may be a bit of a Jew.

I have always been scared of you,
With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo.
And your neat mustache
And your Aryan eye, bright blue.
Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You——

Not God but a swastika
So black no sky could squeak through.
Every woman adores a Fascist,
The boot in the face, the brute
Brute heart of a brute like you.

You stand at the blackboard, daddy,
In the picture I have of you,
A cleft in your chin instead of your foot
But no less a devil for that, no not
Any less the black man who

Bit my pretty red heart in two.
I was ten when they buried you.
At twenty I tried to die
And get back, back, back to you.
I thought even the bones would do.

But they pulled me out of the sack,
And they stuck me together with glue.
And then I knew what to do.
I made a model of you,
A man in black with a Meinkampf look

And a love of the rack and the screw.
And I said I do, I do.
So daddy, I’m finally through.
The black telephone’s off at the root,
The voices just can’t worm through.

If I’ve killed one man, I’ve killed two——
The vampire who said he was you
And drank my blood for a year,
Seven years, if you want to know.
Daddy, you can lie back now.

There’s a stake in your fat black heart
And the villagers never liked you.
They are dancing and stamping on you.
They always knew it was you.
Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through.

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Last Chance
- By Stefanie
- Published by Family Friend Poems August 2008 with permission of the Author.
A poem to her dad from a daughter who is slipping away before his eyes.

Poem To Dad From Angry Daughter

in Father Poems

Analysis of Form and Technique

My heart aches, Dad,
For the things you won't do.
My soul breaks, Dad,
For all that we've been through.

My heart aches, Dad,
For the things you won't do.
My soul breaks, Dad,
For all that we've been through.

I fear it's too late, Dad,
To mend my broken heart.
I'm so full of hate, Dad,
I don't know where to start.

You took away my hope, Dad,
That I would ever be loved,
And now I'm left to cope, Dad,
As I watch you love your son.

I want to scream and yell, Dad,
But I fear my voice will crack.
I want so much to tell you, Dad,
That I can't always take you back.

Please listen to my words, Dad,
For they are all that I can say.
I want you to treat me like I'm yours, Dad,
And not just throw me away.

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My dad is a substance abuser. He is abusive physically, emotionally and mentally in every possible way imagine. Since I could remember he has degraded my mum, my brothers and me. My mum...

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Daddy's Little Girl
- By Emma R. Sims
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2006 with permission of the Author.
Do you know what it's like to grow up without a father. Perhaps you would understand this little girl's words.
By Emma Sims Age:12

Poem About Growing Up Without A Father

in Family Poems by Teens

I wish, I wish I was daddy's little girl,
I would have a dance with him; into his arms I'd twirl.
I would have someone to hold me close when I get too scared,
Instead I have to dream about it with my best friend Brittany Baird.

I wish, I wish I was daddy's little girl,
I would have a dance with him; into his arms I'd twirl.
I would have someone to hold me close when I get too scared,
Instead I have to dream about it with my best friend Brittany Baird.

It's so hard to talk about it,
Why can't it just be true?
Why did you have to leave me?
Please come back, can't I talk to you?

But none of this will happen,
As I sit here and I cry.
No daddy to share my feelings with,
Why me, God, why?

I'm so glad that mama's here,
As she tickles me to the ground.
But now she's all I've got,
Since you're never around.

My mother's always there for me,
And helps me when I need it.
You weren't there when I needed you most,
Not even a little bit.

I think of all my other friends,
Who have their dads by their sides.
It makes me so mad,
That I just want to run and hide.

Why, why did you have to leave me?
I think as I sit in my bed.
All of these terrible thoughts of you
Are tearing through my head.

Sometimes it gets too painful,
As if I'm going to die.
Instead I sit perched on my bed,
Trying not to cry.

I'm trying to forget it now,
I'm trying really hard.
But in my mind I can't forget,
My heart is far too scarred.

God, why do you hate me?
Did I do something wrong?
Why must you keep this pain in me,
For so very long?

Daddy,
It's not really how it sounds.
It's like I'm a lonely dog
Being taken to the pound.

Couldn't you just suck it up
And try to work it through?
I just want to hear those words from you
That say "I love you."

But none of that is really true,
I hate the way I think of you.
A terrible coldhearted man,
I wish that you could understand.

As I write this poem
I can't help, it I just tear.
I wonder what it would be like
If you would just be here.

Couldn't you try and love me?
Let's give it a whirl.
Wouldn't it be nice if I could be
Daddy's little girl?
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I'm 13 years old. I have a dad, but I want him to be with me. We talk on the phone and we say we love each other. But I want him here in my life. I want him to be on my side when my mom...

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I'm Sorry...Dad
- By Shayla Pearl H.
- Published by Family Friend Poems April 2015 with permission of the Author.
My Name is Shayla and I am 15 years old. People have been quite an inconsistent factor in my life, my Dad included. For years our relationship was on/off because of his lack of effort, but I always longed for that father/daughter relationship that I saw other young girls have. Now that I'm older, we go through stages of talking and not talking, but it seems to be more on my terms. It is a little sad, but I have my siblings, so I'm never alone and I love my life!

Poem About Feelings Toward My Lousy Father

in Family Poems by Teens

I'm sorry you missed the day I came home.
I'm sorry you left my Mum all alone.
I'm sorry you missed the first time I walked.
And I'm sorry you missed the first time I talked.

I'm sorry you missed the day I came home.
I'm sorry you left my Mum all alone.
I'm sorry you missed the first time I walked.
And I'm sorry you missed the first time I talked.

I'm sorry you missed tucking me in at night.
I'm sorry you missed turning off my light.
I'm sorry you missed me getting my first fright.
And I'm sorry you weren't there to tell me it's all right.

I'm sorry you never really cared,
Never bothered to make a call.
In fact, I'm not sorry in the slightest bit.
I'm not sorry at all.

You should be sorry,
Sorry to me,
And sorry to all of us,
For what you couldn't be.

A Dad is supposed to love,
Protect, worship and care.
A Dad is supposed to do all of this,
But most importantly be there.

But you couldn't provide,
Protect or care.
You couldn't worship.
And you couldn't be there

Because you made the choice
To never try with me.
Sure, you're on and off now,
But it's just too late, you see.

I mean, I get it now.
And although this makes me sad...
You will always be my father.
You'll just never be my Dad.
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My dad was deported for being caught with drugs a few months before I was born. He wasn't there for any of my firsts. He didn't see me until I was a year old and we moved to Mexico. I grew up...

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Broken Hearted Daughter
- By Tarryn Miller
- Published by Family Friend Poems June 2014 with permission of the Author.
From age 13 to present (age 18) my relationship with my father has been starting to fade away. We have not gotten along, and deep down inside I wish we could. This poem goes out to all of the daughters feeling mentally abused or emotionally heart broken by their fathers. I hope for daughters to read this and know that they're not the only ones suffering through a rough time with their fathers.

Poem About Bad Father Daughter Relationship

in Family Poems by Teens

Photographs of you holding me in your arms,
You protected me from any kind of harm,
You influenced me to play guitar,
I was always your number one rock star.

Photographs of you holding me in your arms,
You protected me from any kind of harm,
You influenced me to play guitar,
I was always your number one rock star.

You looked so proud to be my dad,
But now every day you look so sad,
I wonder why you turned into this,
You're violent with your tone and not your fists.

I'm thankful you're not abusive physically,
But you turn my emotions into misery,
Money seems like your only desire,
You're only happy when your income is higher.

Why can't you just be happy and smile,
It could make you feel better for awhile,
You never wipe my tears as they fall,
The problem between us is far from small.

There is an empty spot in my soul,
Our relationship is taking a toll,
I love you with all my heart,
I don't want our relationship to fall apart.

It's holding on by one last thread,
I regret the bad things that I said,
Can't you realize the expression across my face,
It's drawn with dark colors of disgrace.

But I guess you just can't see,
How much you really mean to me,
I wish I could have a dad and not just a father,
That would always be there for his daughter.

You never care what I have to say,
Tears fill my eyes as I look away,
I cannot hide my pain any longer,
Please change soon or I'll be a goner.
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I wish my dad understood what he has put me through. He treats me like this every 3 month and in the 4th month he want to see me and make sure I am ok. But I'm not telling him how I'm really...

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A Trapped Soul
- By Chyleise A. Barnhill
- Published by Family Friend Poems November 2, 2023 with permission of the Author.
The reason why I decided to write A Trapped Soul is because I have a narcissist father and everyday is a battle. A battle of trying to constantly fight to get freedom, fighting to be heard, and knowledged. I have no right to make a decision because in his eyes It's wrong. It doesn't matter how hard I try to make him happy or satisfied, I'll never live up to his expectations of me.

Trying To Escape A Toxic Cycle

in Anger Poems

Please don't shut me in
Don't hide me from the treasures buried
deep within the world,
Don't bring me down with destruction

Please don't shut me in
Don't hide me from the treasures buried
deep within the world,
Don't bring me down with destruction
The way you did her.
It's never your fault, you never
Do anything.
telling people I don't appreciate you or
what you've done.
When you're the only one to seem ungrateful
Ungrateful that I'm even here
I know I'm not what you hoped for
You wanted a him and not a her
Well I didn't hope for this either
I hoped to have a father I could vent to
A father I could come home and tell my day to
Not a father I lie to or one who lies to me, and
believes it's the truth.
You told me "Home is safe when you are here"
But I feel safer away from you
This isn't home as long as I see your face
I never forget how you once made her feel,
how you made me feel
"Oh baby, what's wrong?"
"You know I'm here for you"...
You never once asked me why, just why?
Don't you ever wonder why I don't like your hugs or your kisses?
Why do I struggle to say I love you back?
I just want to be, Please just let me be...
Free.
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Broken
- By Sarah R.Ramsey
- Published by Family Friend Poems April 2008 with permission of the Author.
An eleven-year-old girl pours out what her "father" did to her, also saying what she thinks of him...

Poem About Father Breaking Daughter's Spirit

in Family Poems by Teens

You broke my trust for you
Just as you broke your promises.
You broke my love for you
Just as you can break a twig.

You broke my trust for you
Just as you broke your promises.
You broke my love for you
Just as you can break a twig.
You smashed my heart into a million pieces
Just as you can give a shirt a thousand creases.
So now you got me broken inside.
Sometimes now I just want to hide.
You never cared for me; that's why I feel broken,
And you know that I'm not at all joking.
You never loved me.
That's why I'm choking up with tears.
You never listened to me.
It's like you didn't have ears.
Your heart is cold; it's always been pitch black,
And now you made my heart have a huge crack.
Whenever I stood up,
You shoved me back down.
You always acted like I wasn't around,
And when I had the guts to say something,
You only ignored me.
That's why sunshine
Is something you'll never see.
That's also why you'll never be
Like a father to me.
Whenever I spoke up, you hushed me.
Whenever I told you something, you shushed me.
That's why I'm leaving you behind,
But unfortunately only in my mind.
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I can relate. My Dad is an alcoholic and he has crushed my heart. He has broken me beyond repair.

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Hey Daddy, Please Come Back
- By Jesse-Ryan G. Debenport
- Published by Family Friend Poems February 2006 with permission of the Author.
A son pleading for his father not to leave tells him how special he is.

in Father Poems

Hey Daddy,

There are a couple of things I think you missed
So write this down, make a little list.

Hey Daddy,

There are a couple of things I think you missed
So write this down, make a little list.
Here are a couple of things that I want you to remember
That sometimes you seem to forget.
You're not the only one.
There are also a couple of things that I need to fix.

Hey Daddy,

Don't forget to tell me you love me.
Don't be too embarrassed to grab me and hug me.
If it makes you feel better, go ahead and slug me.

Hey Daddy,

No matter how much you bug me,
Just know that I enjoy your company,
Laughing when you make fun of me.

Hey Daddy,

I'll try and set aside the girls
At least one day a week
So you won't get so mad at me
So we can hop in the truck and go four-wheeling.

Hey Daddy,

Remind me to give you a hug goodnight.
I never want you to feel
Like I'm leaving you out to dry.
Don't be afraid to grab my hand
Just because it doesn't feel right.
I never wanna regret
Not doing it later on in life.

Hey Daddy,

Please hang on to me.
I'm growing up way too fast.
Too much of the future,
Not enough of the present day or past.

Hey Daddy,

Please don't let me go.
I want these years to last.
I just wish I could let you know
How much I don't want you to leave,
How much I appreciate your company.

Hey Daddy,

I'm not gonna tell you to walk a little slower.
I'll just catch up.
I'm not gonna tell you that you're leading my life.
I'm just gonna tell you to show your love.

Hey Daddy,

I didn't want you to see the tears in my eyes
When I was standing there waving goodbye.
I didn't want you to get on that plane.
I didn't want you to take that flight.

Hey Daddy,

Ford looked up to me as you pulled away.
He said on the verge of tears,
"Jesse, I don't want Daddy to go to work today."
In the back of my mind
I recalled all of the fun over the years.

Hey Daddy,

I promise I tried to hold back the tears,
But I couldn't; I cried, it hurt so bad.
I could've died, it made me so mad
To know that I couldn't stop you from leaving.
Now the whole family is grieving,
But no one is as hurt as I am.
I lost my best friend when you left.
I lost my Buddy, my Brother, my Friend.

Hey Daddy,

I can't write anymore,
The tears are falling and the ink is fading.
I haven't really been myself lately.

Hey Daddy,

I just couldn't hold back.
Cut me some slack.

Hey Daddy,

Please come back.

Hey Daddy,
Friend
Brother
Dad
Please Come Back

Love Always,
Your Son,
Jesse Debenport
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This poem was a major speaker of my feelings toward my father who at this time is not present in my life. I resent him for all the emotional and physical abuse, but I often catch myself...

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To My Dad
- By Cassi
- Published by Family Friend Poems May 2009 with permission of the Author.
This poem is for my Daddy. We may not always see eye-to-eye, but I will always love him.

in Father Poems

I wonder what it's like
to not put up a fight
with someone you're supposed to love so dearly
and get some sleep at night.

I wonder what it's like
to not put up a fight
with someone you're supposed to love so dearly
and get some sleep at night.

I look through these photos
of me and you together,
pictures of you and me smiling
in nice or raining weather.

I wish we could go back to that,
smiling together every day,
but now it's the occasional smile;
it's just not the same today.

Now I'm all grown up.
I'm smart and strong-willed.
You're still much smarter than me,
and your strength just keeps on building.

I'm tired of these fights
and you making me mad.
When I try to get along,
the results just end up sad.

So I'll keep trying
for the moon and stars above.
I may not act like it, Daddy,
but you I will always love.
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I can really understand this poem I'm 14 and everytime me and my dad talked we would end up yelling at each other and the conversation would end with him hitting me or kicking me to the...

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Despite All Fault
- By Tasha S. Smith
- Published by Family Friend Poems May 2006 with permission of the Author.
A letter from daughter to father, pleading with him to be in her life.

Poem About Loving Father Even If He Doesn't Visit

in Anger Poems

Sometimes I wonder if you even care,
because when I need you, you aren't there.

No matter how much I want to hate you, I can't;

Sometimes I wonder if you even care,
because when I need you, you aren't there.

No matter how much I want to hate you, I can't;
Momma won't let me 'cause nobody's a saint.

I know you could be a good father if you really tried;
so, stop, think about it; listen to the tears I've cried.

Tears that could so easily be wiped away
and replaced with love sure to stay.

Listen, no one can take your place,
even if they had your same face.

I've grown to love you despite all fault,
and that love I will keep within my heart.

Don't be afraid;
my love has never strayed.

I need you a lot,
more than you ever thought.

And remember, I love you despite all fault.
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You are a very strong young girl. I don't know if it's because he hasn't let you down enough times yet for you to lose the love you have for him or if maybe I really do deep down love my...

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Poems About Bad Father Child Relationships

10 Poems About Difficult Father Child Relationships

A poem to her dad from a daughter who is slipping away before his eyes.

Do you know what it's like to grow up without a father. Perhaps you would understand this little girl's words. By Emma Sims Age:12

An eleven-year-old girl pours out what her "father" did to her, also saying what she thinks of him...

A son pleading for his father not to leave tells him how special he is.

This poem is for my Daddy. We may not always see eye-to-eye, but I will always love him.

A letter from daughter to father, pleading with him to be in her life.

Do you know what it's like to grow up without a father. Perhaps you would understand this little girl's words.
By Emma Sims Age:12