Editor's note
Ranking is generated by Storgy's classification model, which scores each poem's thematic depth on this subject relative to the rest of the corpus. The list is re-indexed weekly as new poems enter the public-domain corpus.
Best poems about — Storgy
family.
Twenty-five poems, ranked.
25 of the finest public-domain poems about family, ranked by thematic depth. Scored by Storgy's classification model against the rest of the corpus, and re-indexed weekly as new works enter the canon.
The leading three
01
A Mother
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“This short poem portrays a mother standing up for her right to bring her children to Jesus for his blessing, resisting those who would turn them away. In just t…”
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02
Come up from the Fields Father
Walt Whitman
“A letter arrives at an Ohio farm during the Civil War, and a family rushes to read news from their son Pete, who is serving as a soldier. The letter reveals tha…”
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03
Enter Cenci, Lucretia, Beatrice, Orsino, Camillo, Nobles
Percy Bysshe Shelley
“This scene from Shelley's verse drama *The Cenci* depicts the monstrous Count Cenci throwing a banquet to celebrate the deaths of two of his own sons, shocking…”
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The complete index
- 04
The Children's Hour
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Every evening, as the day begins to fade, a father finds himself "invaded" by his three daughters — Alice, Allegra, and Edith — who come rushing down from upstairs to shower him wi…
- 05
The Happy Household
Eugene Field
A father shares how the arrival of a new baby has transformed his entire household — grandma, grandpa, his wife, and himself — into a bunch of helpless, laughing (and sometimes cry…
- 06
Ailsie, My Bairn
Eugene Field
A parent welcomes home their daughter Ailsie, who has obviously been hurt by someone—a "fause lord"—and is now on the brink of death. The parent doesn’t ask questions or pass judgm…
- 07
A Lullaby
Eugene Field
A mother sings her baby to sleep, finding solace in the thought of the moon serenading a star. Yet, in the final stanza, we discover she is mourning a child who has passed away. Th…
- 08
The Lyttel Boy
Eugene Field
A little boy who constantly stays close to his mother, often getting "in the way," is taken by God — and it’s only after he’s gone that she understands how valuable that closeness…
- 09
The Mother's Ghost
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
A deceased mother hears her six children weeping from their grave because their unkind stepmother is starving and neglecting them. She receives permission from God to return for on…
- 10
For Bryher and Perdita
H. D. · 1925
H.D. writes about two of the most significant people in her life — her lifelong partner Bryher (the writer Annie Winifred Ellerman) and her daughter Perdita — in a poem that intert…
- 11
Kamikaze
Beatrice Garland · 2013
- 12
A Baby Asleep After Pain
D. H. Lawrence
A parent cradles their baby after the little one has cried herself to sleep, and the weight of that weary body feels entirely different from the usual lightness of holding her. Law…
- 13
A Hall of the Prison
Percy Bysshe Shelley
This is the final scene from Shelley's verse drama *The Cenci*, set in a prison where Beatrice Cenci and her family await execution for killing their abusive father. Beatrice shift…
- 14
At Play
Eugene Field
A father engages in a pretend game with his young daughter, but as they play, it transforms into something more profound: he recognizes in her expressions both his wife and a long-…
- 15
At the Door
Eugene Field
A father is at work when his toddler knocks at the door, asking to come in—and he can't say no. That small, sweet moment raises a bigger question: when the speaker himself stands a…
- 16
Ballad of Birmingham
Dudley Randall
A mother doesn't allow her child to participate in a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, believing the church is a safer option — only for a bomb to destroy that church in…
- 17
Beard and Baby
Eugene Field
A father shares the simple joy of letting his baby daughter pull on his beard after dinner, emphasizing how that small, silly moment lingers in his mind throughout the day. The poe…
- 18
Before the Birth of One of Her Children
Anne Bradstreet
Anne Bradstreet wrote this poem as a heartfelt letter to her husband, aware that childbirth could be her last moment. She urges him to hold onto her love, take care of their childr…
- 19
Cornish Lullaby
Eugene Field
A mother sings her baby to sleep, while outside in the hills, trolls and a miner sing solely about gold. This poem highlights a contrast: no amount of glittering wealth can compare…
- 20
Digging
Seamus Heaney
A young Seamus Heaney observes his father digging in the garden and recalls his grandfather cutting turf on the bog. Suddenly, he realizes he has no spade—just a pen. The poem refl…
- 21
Discord in Childhood
D. H. Lawrence
A child lies inside a house as a violent storm rages outside, while two adults—most likely his parents—engage in a fierce, ugly argument. Lawrence uses the thrashing ash tree to re…
- 22
Fisherman Jim's Kids
Eugene Field
A fisherman raises his boys on a coastal hill, and the best part of his day is arriving home to their joyful greetings on the beach. Then fever strikes both children, and Jim spend…
- 23
Googly-Goo
Eugene Field
A parent shares the joy of hearing their baby's cheerful babbles from the start of the day until they come home at night. The poem shows how those simple cooing sounds can brighten…
- 24
Inferno 33, 22-75
Percy Bysshe Shelley
This is Shelley's revised translation of a section from Dante's *Inferno*, where Count Ugolino recounts his harrowing experience of being imprisoned in a tower with his sons and gr…
- 25
Inscription for My Little Son's Silver Plate
Eugene Field
A father carves a brief collection of life lessons into his young son's silver plate, transforming a simple object into a timeless moral compass. The engraving encourages the boy t…
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