Daddy's Poem
Her
hair was up in a pony tail,
her
favorite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school,
and she couldn't wait to go.
But her mommy tried to tell her,
that she probably should stay
home.
Why the kids might not
understand,
if she went to
school alone.
But she was
not afraid;
she knew just what
to say.
What to tell her
classmates
of why he wasn't
there today.
But still her
mother worried,
for her to face
this day alone.
And that was
why once again,
she tried to
keep her daughter home.
But
the little girl went to school
eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees
a dad who never calls.
There were daddies along the wall in
back,
for everyone to meet.
Children squirming
impatiently,
anxious in their
seats.
One by one the
teacher called
a student from
the class.
To introduce their
daddy,
as seconds slowly
passed.
At last the teacher
called her name,
every child
turned to stare.
Each of them
was searching,
for a man who
wasn't there.
"Where's her
daddy at?"
she heard a boy call
out.
"She probably doesn't have
one,"
another student dared to
shout.
And from somewhere
near the back,
she heard a
daddy say,
"Looks like another
deadbeat dad,
too busy to waste
his day."
The words did not
offend her,
as she smiled up at
her Mom.
And looked back at her
teacher,
who told her to go
on.
And with hands behind
her back,
slowly she began to
speak.
And out from the mouth of
a child,
came words incredibly
unique.
"My Daddy
couldn't be here,
because he
lives so far away.
But I know he
wishes he could be,
since this
is such a special day.
And
though you cannot meet him,
I
wanted you to know.
All about my
daddy,
and how much he loves me
so.
He loved to tell me
stories
he taught me to ride my
bike.
He surprised me with pink
roses,
and taught me to fly a
kite.
We used to share fudge
sundaes,
and ice cream in a
cone.
And though you cannot see
him.
I'm not standing here
alone.
"Cause my
daddy's always with me,
even
though we are apart
I know
because he told me,
he'll
forever be in my heart".
With that, her little hand reached up,
and lay across her
chest.
Feeling her own
heartbeat,
beneath her favorite
dress.
And from somewhere
here in the crowd of dads,
her
mother stood in tears.
Proudly
watching her daughter,
who was
wise beyond her years.
For she stood up for the love
of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her,
doing what was right.
And when she dropped her hand back down,
staring straight into the
crowd.
She finished with a voice
so soft,
but its message clear
and loud.
"I love my daddy
very much,
he's my shining
star.
And if he could, he'd be
here,
but heaven's just too
far.
You see he was a
policeman
and died just this
past year
When airplanes hit the
towers
and taught Americans to
fear.
But sometimes when I
close my eyes,
it's like he
never went away."
And then she
closed her eyes,
and saw him
there that day.
And to her
mothers amazement,
she
witnessed with surprise.
A room
full of daddies and children,
all starting to close their
eyes.
Who knows what
they saw before them,
who knows
what they felt inside.
Perhaps
for merely a second,
they saw
him at her side.
"I know
you're with me Daddy,"
to the
silence she called out.
And what
happened next made believers,
of
those once filled with doubt.
Not one in that room could explain it,
for each of their eyes had been
closed.
But there on the desk
beside her,
was a fragrant
long-stemmed pink rose.
And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,
by the love of her shining
star.
And given the gift of
believing,
that heaven is never
too far.
They say it
takes a minute to find a special person,
an hour to appreciate them, a day to love
them,
but then an entire life to
forget them.
Take the
time...to live and love!
Until
eternity. May God bless!