View Full Version : Daddy's Day
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,
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 al ways 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 is a Brittish soldier
And died just this past year
When a roadside bomb hit his convoy
And taught Britians 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 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.
The sad truth is that this is happening to a lot of kids, and letters of sympathy don't quite cut it.
Milky Bar Kid
03-12-09, 09:34 PM
Lovely poem Amanda.
DarrenSV650S
03-12-09, 09:36 PM
is this one of those chain/spam depressing email poems?
Spiderman
03-12-09, 09:47 PM
Personally i shed more tears for the innocents who dont wear uniforms and get bombed from way up high by stealth planes with silent missiles, depleted uranium and suffer war crimes being perpetrated on them.
The innocents who get rounded up and put on rendition flights and taken to far off lands to be tortured. For the children and entire families who get killed cos of crap or lazy intelligence.
These people who choose to wear a uniform and take the all mighty dollar as reward (for this is clearly an american poem tailored to fit the brits) know what they are letting themselves in for.
The sleeping children who never harmed anyone, who face death raining from the skys have no choice. No electricity or clean water. They are the ones who get more of my sympathy than a soldier who makes the choice to fight for his country (by going along with orders in an illegal war)
Amanda..and all our others serving and ex-forces...please dont take this as a condemnation of what you do/did or the choices you make.
It just this kind of pathetic americanism of "sympathy only for us, cos only we deserve it" needs balancing sometimes i feel.
hate me if you will but i hope you can see what i'm saying here.
War is not good.
Illegal war is worse.
Death of soldiers is very sad, politicians who send them to their deaths are more guilty than anyone.
The innocents who suffer deserve the most sympathy tho.
I'm ex-nearly-step-dad to three kids - Jessica 20, Georgina 18 and Daniel 16 - whose natural father died in a car crash when my son was only 4 months old. I've been called Dad by them for over 15 years now.
If you'd have asked them where their real dad was when they were little they'd have said "he's dead, he got killed in a car crash" and that would have been it. No outpouring of grief and mourning, just plain simple facts.
War is not good.
Illegal war is worse.
Death of soldiers is very sad, politicians who send them to their deaths are more guilty than anyone.
The innocents who suffer deserve the most sympathy tho.
I can agree with a lot of what you say Spidey.
Today on the news I heard that the officer commanding all our troops in Afghan is worried that the civilian attitude to the war there is demoralising for his troops. He seems to think that if the people at home don't support the war then the troops will be affected emotionally by this.
Get this straight bucko. The average UK citizen loves the soldiers, sailors and airmen who keep us safe and free to speak out about this sort of thing. What we don't like is Westminster, and in particular Tony Blair/Gordon Brown, sending those blokes and women to fight your illegal political wars for you. The troops themselves have our fullest support, the government who sent them there has none.
Get this straight bucko. The average UK citizen loves the soldiers, sailors and airmen who keep us safe and free to speak out about this sort of thing. What we don't like is Westminster, and in particular Tony Blair/Gordon Brown, sending those blokes and women to fight your illegal political wars for you. The troops themselves have our fullest support, the government who sent them there has none.
As an average UK citizen...
+1
WetCreda73
05-12-09, 03:30 AM
No luck today Apparently, the weather in Newquay is lovely I couldnt face another rickshaw ride, so decided to bin it and go another day - by trainIll just enjoy another lovely summers dayStan.
Personally i shed more tears for the innocents who dont wear uniforms and get bombed from way up high by stealth planes with silent missiles, depleted uranium and suffer war crimes being perpetrated on them.
The innocents who get rounded up and put on rendition flights and taken to far off lands to be tortured. For the children and entire families who get killed cos of crap or lazy intelligence.
These people who choose to wear a uniform and take the all mighty dollar as reward (for this is clearly an american poem tailored to fit the brits) know what they are letting themselves in for.
The sleeping children who never harmed anyone, who face death raining from the skys have no choice. No electricity or clean water. They are the ones who get more of my sympathy than a soldier who makes the choice to fight for his country (by going along with orders in an illegal war)
Amanda..and all our others serving and ex-forces...please dont take this as a condemnation of what you do/did or the choices you make.
It just this kind of pathetic americanism of "sympathy only for us, cos only we deserve it" needs balancing sometimes i feel.
hate me if you will but i hope you can see what i'm saying here.
War is not good.
Illegal war is worse.
Death of soldiers is very sad, politicians who send them to their deaths are more guilty than anyone.
The innocents who suffer deserve the most sympathy tho.
Very well said. Not much I can add to that.
It's sad when young soldiers get sent to die for a war they shouldn't be dying for, there is no denying that.
What's sadder is when the innocent children, women and men of said country that lead the most basic simple lives are burnt, poisoned, maimed, raped, killed because of rich corrupt governments in a country thousands of miles away from theirs, just so the countries can pursue their interests, be it for that countries resources or whatever.
94,349 – 102,949 documented Iraqi civilian deaths since 2003 - http://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/ - what price did all those people and their families have to pay, and ultimately for what?
Milky Bar Kid
05-12-09, 09:48 AM
Very well said. Not much I can add to that.
It's sad when young soldiers get sent to die for a war they shouldn't be dying for, there is no denying that.
What's sadder is when the innocent children, women and men of said country that lead the most basic simple lives are burnt, poisoned, maimed, raped, killed because of rich corrupt governments in a country thousands of miles away from theirs, just so the countries can pursue their interests, be it for that countries resources or whatever.
94,349 – 102,949 documented Iraqi civilian deaths since 2003 - http://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/ - what price did all those people and their families have to pay, and ultimately for what?
Whilst I tend to agree with the comments about the war itself, I don't think it makes it any less of a tragedy when a soldier is killed and leaves behind young children.
metalangel
05-12-09, 09:54 AM
As an average UK citizen...
+1
+2. They signed up to fight for what's right, which this business isn't.
Spiderman
05-12-09, 12:21 PM
Wow, thanks guys. I did fully expect to get really flamed for my views so i'm glad that i expressed it right and those of you who read it took it in the spirit it was meant.
On a side note, ANYONE have any idea what this post was about? Am i missing something here???
No luck today Apparently, the weather in Newquay is lovely I couldnt face another rickshaw ride, so decided to bin it and go another day - by trainIll just enjoy another lovely summers dayStan.
Suggest delete it Spidey.
Whilst I tend to agree with the comments about the war itself, I don't think it makes it any less of a tragedy when a soldier is killed and leaves behind young children.
Whilst that is a tragedy, losing both your parents and all your siblings is even worse!
or worse still pulling your 6 year old daughers mamed body from a heap of rubble that used to be your house!
gruntygiggles
05-12-09, 01:44 PM
Truth as far as I'm concerned is; not one life that's been lost in this war is justified IMO, so all can and should be mourned and their lives rememebered.
I could open a real can of worms now and go into my rather controversial take on the Princess Diana effect....but those that know me know how I feel.
I mourn for the people that I have personally loved and lost and I feel for the families of those who have lost their loved ones, but I leave it at that. It's hard enough dealing with the losses in my life to add to that by dwelling on the losses of others as well.
That may be seen as me closing myself off and being ignorant, but actually...I'd rather be around to offer help and support to my family and friends than pouring out emotion for people I have never met.
Amanda, that is not a dig at you posting the poem.....For many people, poems like that are a great comfort and are only ever shared with the most genuine of intentions, so good on ya for posting it. I just can't read it to the end. If I did, I would be crying, but not for the girl in the poem or the soldiers or civilians being killed...I'd be crying for my lost loved ones and that, to me would just not feel right.
May have cracked the lid a bit there...but oh well.
gruntygiggles
05-12-09, 01:50 PM
Whilst that is a tragedy, losing both your parents and all your siblings is even worse!
or worse still pulling your 6 year old daughers mamed body from a heap of rubble that used to be your house!
I think it's a very thin line to tread when circumstances of loss are graded in any way. I agree that some losses are more tragic than others of course, but I think it's a little off to take away from the loss anyone is feeling.
I think it's far harder to deal with a young life being lost than someone dying who has at least lived to get their bus pass, but it's still loss. It's still a person leaving this world that has been loved.
People in my family that have lost more than one immediate family member in really not very nice circumstances would never in a million years say that their losses were more tragic than anyone elses.
I don't even know if that makes sense!
That may be seen as me closing myself off and being ignorant, but actually...I'd rather be around to offer help and support to my family and friends than pouring out emotion for people I have never met.
Na thats true...its only human nature. If one mourned the death of every single child that was bombed, or dying from hunger around the world, or whatever, then you'd never be able to leave the house..you would be forever mourning.
That's what families and friends are for, and I think that's why its even sadder when you hear of those that don't have any family or friends and die alone.
I think its the recognising of hurt around the world thats important..speaking out for truth and protesting against war crimes that is important. We're all humans sharing this earth, and where we may not be able to directly mourn for the countless deaths of others, we would like to think that we can voice our opinions, and at least show the victims abroard that we are not in support of whatever may be happening.
Milky Bar Kid
05-12-09, 02:31 PM
Na thats true...its only human nature. If one mourned the death of every single child that was bombed, or dying from hunger around the world, or whatever, then you'd never be able to leave the house..you would be forever mourning.
That's what families and friends are for, and I think that's why its even sadder when you hear of those that don't have any family or friends and die alone.
I think its the recognising of hurt around the world thats important..speaking out for truth and protesting against war crimes that is important. We're all humans sharing this earth, and where we may not be able to directly mourn for the countless deaths of others, we would like to think that we can voice our opinions, and at least show the victims abroard that we are not in support of whatever may be happening.
I think this is much better put than before.
Whilst I fully appreciate that there are innocents being killed daily, I think that by saying "Tough it up little child, yeah you lost your daddy but he got paid to fight in a war which killed lots of innocent people" is just completely uncompassionate. I realise no one actually said that or meant that but certainly in one post, that's kinda how it came across.
I fully, fully agree that we all need to be aware of the loss and hurt to people all around the world during all of the sense less wars which appear to be ongoing atm.
gruntygiggles
05-12-09, 02:33 PM
Just a shame there's not much we can do about it. More troops going over, more deaths on both sides ahead of us.
Tolerance is what's needed more than anything and the sooner we in the west can find a fuel that we can rely on above and beyong our reliance on oil.....many things will change. It'll be a while though. Me and Dan are starting....got a load of veg oil for the dosco last night...;-)
JamesMio
05-12-09, 02:38 PM
As an average UK citizen...
+1
Couldn't really have put that any better myself
Spiderman
05-12-09, 02:47 PM
I think this is much better put than before.
Whilst I fully appreciate that there are innocents being killed daily, I think that by saying "Tough it up little child, yeah you lost your daddy but he got paid to fight in a war which killed lots of innocent people" is just completely uncompassionate. I realise no one actually said that or meant that but certainly in one post, that's kinda how it came across.
MBK you posts do really baffle me sometimes.
You say this is much better put than before...create a sentence from your own imagination that you then say no one actually said...but one post came across that as being that way.
I know i chose my words very carefully as i'm sure others do too, so how you can make up a sentence that comes across heartless and cold that no one actually wrote is beyond me.
Can you tell me which post it was that came across that way to you? I'm intrigued.
"Tough it up little child, yeah you lost your daddy but he got paid to fight in a war which killed lots of innocent people" is just completely uncompassionate. I realise no one actually said that or meant that but certainly in one post, that's kinda how it came across.
Not sure what post it was that this 'came across' in cos I think so far every post has upfrontly acknowledged the death of any soldier as tragic and for those who they leave behind.
Whilst I tend to agree with the comments about the war itself, I don't think it makes it any less of a tragedy when a soldier is killed and leaves behind young children.
I'm sorry tho, but you cannot say this is the same for the child who is orphaned?? It's just not the same. Losing one parent is different to losing both simultaneously! This doesn't take away from the child who lost their father, but what about the kid who has not just lost their father, but their mother as well!! Perhaps because these children are closer to home its harder to understand for some. But if the roles were reversed, and children here were being orphaned, whilst iraqi soldiers were dying, I think sentiments would be a bit different (tho perhaps I'm wrong).
Both children will have hurt that I hope most people hear have not and will never comprehend. Ultimately, it's the government whose sending over some of these young men who leave kids here without a father, and some children over there without a family, or fathers without their young children!
Nobody wants to lose a parent at a young age. It's a horrific thing. And without doubt, no parent would ever want to outlive their 6 year old child!
And I re-iterate..this does not take away from kids here who have lost a father...that is tragic!
This has probably been done to death, however there's an interesting little snippet in the Times about what some members of the army think of the PM. There are some interesting comments to the article at the bottom f the page. I quite like the one about comparing the PM to a 'fencepost tortoise'. For your perusal...enjoy...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6945976.ece
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