Poems for someone special

Poems for Son

8 poems

These poems for a son follow the relationship as it changes: childhood routines, growing independence, distance, worry, pride, birthdays, mistakes, moving out, and learning to love an adult child without trying to direct every step.

Each poem is an original EveryPoem editorial work, selected for its relevance to this theme. Open a poem to read the full text, notes on its themes, and literary devices.

Read Poems for Son

Birthday Call from My Son

Editor's pick

He calls two days late with traffic in the background. I rehearse being annoyed.

by The Bright VoiceFree Verse · 10 lines
sonbirthdaymemory

Call Me When You Arrive

Call me when you arrive, I tell my grown son, then pretend the sentence

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 11 lines
sonparenthooddistance

Fatherhood in Small Print

The contract mentioned love. It did not mention glitter inside the washing machine,

by The Bright VoiceFree Verse · 13 lines
fatherhooddaily-lifechildren

His Own Way Home

I spent years teaching my son which road to take, how to watch the weather,

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 11 lines
sonagingindependence

Letter to My Son at Eighteen

You are leaving. I know this the way I know weather— not from the forecast

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 37 lines
familyson

Moving Day with My Son

My son carries the heavy boxes, though I remember carrying him asleep from the car.

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 9 lines
sonmovingaging

The Boy and the Man

The boy left muddy shoes beneath every chair. The man lines his boots

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 11 lines
songrowing-upparenthood

The Boy Who Grew Taller Than Me

There was a morning— I don't remember which one— when you walked into the kitchen and I looked up.

by The Hearth VoiceFree Verse · 71 lines
sonparentingfamily