[Elfsea] OT Thanksgiving Poem

[Darr Sarah]

                                          GIVE THANKS THIS 
THANKGIVING                                             

If you can read this entire 
poem without a tear in your eye or lump in your throat, you are a stronger 
person than I am.
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,
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 there 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 a 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 an American Soldier
and died just this past year
When a roadside bomb 
hit his convoy 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 mother's 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..
There must be many children in 
the same boat as this little girl, thanks to our servicemen and their 
families for the sacrifice they are making to keep our country 
Free.
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