Her hair 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,
  on this Daddy's Day

  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 were 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 at her friends
  And looked back at her teacher,
  who told her to begin

  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 with me on this 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 all alone

  'Cause my daddy's always with me,
  even though we are apart
  I know because he told me,
  he'll forever be here 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 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,

  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 placed on her desktop,
  was a beautiful fragrant pink rose

Author Unknown