Dear Daughter

When time and duty call us away, the heart longs for home, hearth, and those we love best. Enough said

Dear Daughter,
Like the wind in the trees, I whisper your name
So softly only the trees can hear me.
Only the stars can match your beauty without shame.
While you chase life’s prizes, I fight across a dark sea.
I fight so that you and your friends may sleep in peace.
I fight as a soldier second and a father first
Because a father’s fierce love will never cease.
I fight so that you may dream of the best, not the worst.
I fight because you are my world, dear daughter.

Dear Daughter, I want to lay this rifle down
And rush home to stand at your side.
But I am teaching other fathers how to protect their town.
And until that work is done I must abide.
We must wait a while longer, dear daughter.
Until then, I send these words across time and tide.
Until then, I watch for your lantern across the restless water.
And in the darkness, I dream of you, my beloved daughter.

Dear Daughter! Can you know how much I want to hold your hand?
The first star hangs in the Middle Eastern sky
And my wish is a prayer I make while alone in the sand:
That God will give you angel’s wings and teach you how to fly.
A father’s dream is to watch his children grow.
He hopes his hand will send the falcon into flight.
Like a farmer, you are the future seed that I sow
And the hope that I nurture day and night.
May yours be a better life then mine, dear daughter.

Now and always, my love is forever.

Author's Note

For every soldier, front line worker, or first responder who has had to balance family and career. Thank you for your service.

Reviews

[lightsong]

Heartwarming, heartfelt... your emotions are pure, just how Fathers' Love should be, unlimited, unconditional. The prayer at the end added even more to your already wonderful and emotive letter. Bless You and your beloved daughter my friend ✨

[M. J. Smith]

Wars, be they fought with guns and bullets, or Bible's and holy water, take a toll. And when we become parents, our prayer becomes that they never have to fight those wars after us. The daughter for whom this was written never got to meet her Dad. He died in Desert Storm. This is my tribute for them both. Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[lightsong]

Gosh! Sorry about that my friend. Your words are so sincere that I thought it was about You and your daughter. You gave them both a really thoughtful and generously beautiful gift. Bless You my friend ❤️

[M. J. Smith]

In a way, it is. Every father wishes the best for his children. Thank for your beautiful review. These mean a lot to me. And bless you as well, my friend.

[Coyote Poetry]

An amazing soldier poem. Like a soldier's prayer my friend.
"Dear Daughter! Can you know how much I want to hold your hand?
The first star hangs in the Middle Eastern sky
And my wish is a prayer I make while alone in the sand:
That God will give you angel’s wings and teach you how to fly."
I did like the above lines. We pray our children are not fighting the old wars. Thank you for sharing the amazing poem and your thoughts.
Coyote

[M. J. Smith]

My ears were fought in school halls and on the street. Yet, I understand the soldier's mindset. Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome my friend. I learn on the streets also. Army life was easy. We knew what we must do. The street life. Day to day.

[Lathen Griffiths]

A wonderful reminder of the sacrifices made by the men and women in the armed forces for the protection of our freedom and democracy..


Lathen

[M. J. Smith]

Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[Cyprian Van Dyke]

This poem is POWERFUL. You can really feel the connection between this soldier and his daughter. The sentiment in your words is something you can can't make up. Tyfs

[M. J. Smith]

To imagine going off to eat never to see my daughter again... Well, I'm a father first. Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[Lisasview]

I agree a big thank you!!
So sweet..to Dear daughter. Many of us so wish we could know our fathers better...
Lisa

[M. J. Smith]

This was written for a daughter who's Dad died in the Middle East while she was still an infant. I knew the young man from highschool. Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[Lisasview]

You are so very welcome.

[Betty Hermelee]

A beautiful letter to your daughter whom you love very much. You are a soldier fighting wars, many oceans away from her. You want the best for her, because you love her; you must honor your country by fighting for it, yet you want to be the best father you can be for that is crucial for you and for her; you want to teach to live life to the fullest. Well written and important message.
Best, B

[M. J. Smith]

Sadly, like the daughter for whom this was written, some never get to know their fathers. Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[Ada]

Each generation should see more progress than the one before but this just isn't always the case...really nice tribute to a daughter...which makes it very relatable...everyone has been someone's son or daughter so this is commemorative and reaches a wide audience...great accessibility.

[M. J. Smith]

Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[alanwgraham]

Well done for this poem full of heartfelt emotion. Soldiers without number over centuries have been taken from their loved ones to fight and live with the uncertainty that they will ever see them again. Our personal take on this is that our daughter is about to embark on a long cycle tour In Spain. It will be an anxious time for us.
All the best,
Alan

[M. J. Smith]

I wrote this for a young lady who's Dad died in Iraq when she was still a baby. I knew him in highschool. Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[Cherrie Palmer]

In this instance I like the repetitive use of dear daughter. Back in the day before soldiers got to video chat they would nurse a letter (like this one). It would have more than one entry. As days and possibly battles would mark a new paragraph.
You have relayed a beautiful message.

[M. J. Smith]

This is the letter that never got written. A man of my acquaintance died before his daughter ever knew him. Last Father's Day, I suddenly wondered what he might have said to her. This is the result of those musings. Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.

[Cherrie Palmer]

It is those letters never written that linger. You wrote a beautiful sentiment ❤️

[Abhishek]

In this poem there is a full of emotions for daughter.
It's really heart touching🙁🙁

[M. J. Smith]

Thank you for your kind review. It is deeply appreciated.