13 Must-Read Poems about Grandfathers

Poems about grandfathers delve into the special bond between a grandfather and his grandchildren, celebrating the unique role and influence they have in each other’s lives. These poems often capture the love, warmth, and shared memories that form the foundation of their relationship.

The poems may depict the grandfather as a source of comfort and support, someone who is always there to lend a listening ear or offer a kind word. They may highlight the grandfather’s role as a mentor, imparting wisdom and life lessons to the grandchildren.

These poems often evoke a sense of nostalgia, cherishing the precious moments spent together and the lasting impact they have on both generations.

Poems about Grandfathers Visual Representation

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Grandfather

by Derek Mahon

‘Grandfather’ offers a moving and memorable portrayal of a man who pushes back against his old age right up to the end.

This is the central focus of the poem, as Mahon paints a vivid portrait of his grandfather—his hard work, humility, and steadfastness. The poem captures the unique respect and affection often reserved for grandparents. Mahon's ability to portray him as a three-dimensional person and not merely as an elderly man is one of the things that makes the poem so special and so moving.

They brought him in on a stretcher from the world,

Wounded but humorous; and he soon recovered.

Boiler-rooms, row upon row of gantries rolled

Away to reveal the landscape of a childhood

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Grandfather

by Michael S. Harper

‘Grandfather’ by Michael S. Harper describes the treatment Harper’s grandfather endured and alludes to racism within the United States more generally.

The poem is a tribute to Harper’s grandfather. It shares personal memories and stories. Harper admires and respects his grandfather’s strength and resilience. The poem highlights the important role of grandfathers in families. It shows how they influence and inspire their grandchildren.

In 1915 my grandfather’s

neighbors surrounded his house

near the dayline he ran

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Equilibrium

by Theresa Lola

Theresa Lola’s ‘Equilibrium’ is a phenomenal portrayal of decline in the face of what ought to be a family celebration.

Lola’s portrayal of the grandfather shows deep respect, with the speaker’s feelings centered on him rather than the baby. This sense of acceptance and calm seems noticed by the speaker, showing the close bond between them. The poem uses this focus to honor the grandfather’s life and show how his quiet strength is understood and appreciated by those around him.

My new-born brother wailed into existence
and my grandfather's eyes became two stopwatches

counting down his own exit. After the naming ceremony
my grandfather was quiet as a cut open for autopsy.

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Spooning

by David Mason

David Mason’s ‘Spooning’ appears in the 1991 winter issue of The Hudson Review. This poem is about a speaker recapturing his dead grandfather’s life.

The relationship between the speaker and his grandfather is at the heart of the poem. The speaker remembers the stories, habits, and presence of his grandfather, revealing the deep bond they shared. The poem captures the significance of this relationship and how it continues to influence the speaker even after the grandfather is gone.

After my grandfather died I went back

to help my mother sell his furniture:

the old chair he did his sitting on,

the kitchen things. Going through his boxes

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After Blenheim

by Robert Southey

Southey’s ‘After Blenheim’ critiques war’s futility through Old Kaspar’s tales to his grandkids, questioning the true cost of victories.

Kaspar represents many older people who carry stories from the past. He tries to answer his grandchildren’s questions, but his answers show how hard it is to explain something that never really made sense. He seems wise but also confused, repeating what he’s always heard. His role in the poem shows how grandfathers often become the ones who pass down lessons, even when they are still trying to understand them themselves.

It was a summer evening,

Old Kaspar's work was done,

And he before his cottage door

Was sitting in the sun,

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Verandah

by Derek Walcott

Walcott uses the memory of his father and grandfather to trace the generational impact of colonialism on the Caribbean landscape.

The grandfather of the speaker serves as a key ancestral figure, representing the complexities of inherited legacy. The poem touches upon his "ghost" and his significant life choices, hinting at personal struggles and complex family relationship. His presence connects the speaker's individual experience to broader historical themes. This focus on the grandfather grounds the poem's more abstract ideas about identity within a relatable, familial context.

Frail, ghostly loungers at verandah ends,

busher, ramrod colon,

your age in ashes,

its coherence gone,

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Kamikaze

by Beatrice Garland

‘Kamikaze’ by Garland delves into a pilot’s conflict between duty and life, exploring the harsh societal aftermath of his choice.

Though the poem is about the narrator’s father, its tone and retrospective lens give it a generational weight, suggesting how younger family members grapple with the legacy and humanity of those once seen through distant cultural ideals.

Her father embarked at sunrise

with a flask of water, a samurai sword

in the cockpit, a shaven head

full of powerful incantations

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Digging

by Seamus Heaney

‘Digging’ contrasts the speaker’s daydreaming with his ancestors’ hard work, pondering his own path while trying to write.

The speaker's grandfather is only mentioned briefly and it is noteable that he is described in extremely similar terms to the speaker's father, as though there is no difference between them.

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds

Bends low, comes up twenty years away

Stooping in rhythm through potato drills

Where he was digging.

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A Child to his Sick Grandfather

by Joanna Baillie

‘A Child to his Sick Grandfather’ shows a child’s love facing the grandad’s end, blending hope with impending loss.

GRAND-DAD, they say you're old and frail,

Your stocked legs begin to fail:

Your knobbed stick (that was my horse)

Can scarce support your bended corse;

#10

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Abuelito Who

by Sandra Cisneros

‘Abuelito Who’ by Sandra Cisneros is a powerful poem about the importance of family. The poem conveys the ways that illness and change within the family dynamic can have on a child.

Abuelito who throws coins like rain

and asks who loves him

who is dough and feathers

#11

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Climbing My Grandfather

by Andrew Waterhouse

‘Climbing My Grandfather’ by Waterhouse melds climbing with deep familial exploration, showcasing affection and discovery.

I decide to do it free, without a rope or net.

First, the old brogues, dusty and cracked;

an easy scramble onto his trousers,

pushing into the weave, trying to get a grip.

#12

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For Nanabhai Bhatt

by Sujata Bhatt

‘For Nanabhai Bhatt’ is about the poet Sujata Bhatt’s grandfather, Nanabhai Bhatt, who was an educationist and activist active during the Indian independence movement.

In this dream my grandfather

comes to comfort me.

He stands apart

silent

#13

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The Eleven O’clock News

by Anita Nair

‘The Eleven O’clock News’ delves into the impact of war and personal loss, navigating emotional depth and foreboding themes.

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13 Must-Read Poems about Grandfathers

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13 Must-Read Poems about Grandfathers

by Derek Mahon

by Michael S. Harper

by Theresa Lola

by David Mason

by Robert Southey

by Derek Walcott

by Beatrice Garland

by Seamus Heaney

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