Lyric Poem · Childhood

Who were "the Father and the Son"

by Emily Dickinson

We pondered when a child,

And what had they to do with us

And when portentous told

With inference appalling

By Childhood fortified

We thought, at least they are no worse

Than they have been described.

Who are "the Father and the Son"

Did we demand Today

"The Father and the Son" himself

Would doubtless specify —

But had they the felicity

When we desired to know.

We better Friends had been, perhaps,

Than time ensue to be —

We start — to learn that we believe

But once — entirely —

Belief, it does not fit so well

When altered frequently —

We blush, that Heaven if we achieve —

Event ineffable —

We shall have shunned until ashamed

To own the Miracle —

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“Who were "the Father and the Son"” by Emily Dickinson — quilloak.com/poems/who-were-the-father-and-the-son

Quick facts

Poem: Who were "the Father and the Son"
Poet: Emily Dickinson
Length: 24 lines
Form: Lyric Poem
Themes: Childhood, Friendship, Peace

Craft notes

How this poem works

Measured from the text on this page, not copied from a summary. Counts are approximate: syllables and rhymes come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, which models General American English, so dialect, older pronunciation, and performance can all change what you hear.

Shape: 24 lines · 6 quatrains
Line length: Lines run 6-8 syllables (median 7). No single length dominates, which is normal once elision and contraction are in play.

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Text, source & rights

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Full-text display is based on the committed source record and a United States term-expiry review.

Author record: Emily Dickinson1830–1886
Source record: PoetryDBWho were "the Father and the Son" by emily-dickinson, PoetryDB transcription
Display decision: Full text · United States · reviewed 2026-07-18
Publication record: Not recorded in the imported source
Text fingerprint: SHA-256 05b899ed701c169a…
Editorial handling: Whitespace and stanza breaks normalized for web display; no material wording change recorded.

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Lyric Poem Childhood Friendship Peace

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