A Child's View

A Childs View



Hi, my name is Johnny

Do you mind if I talk with you

You see my daddy is at war

And I can use a friend or two



It was just a few years ago,

our country came under attack

My daddy said the time would come

When our country would have to fight back



He told us he might be getting orders

to a far off distant land

He said that he would have to obey

the one who was in command



I asked him who that person was

cause I needed to send him a note

Daddy said his name is George W Bush

so this is what I sat down and wrote



Dear President George W. Bush

I had to write this note to you

could you please say a special prayer

For all of those who work under you



You see my daddy is in the Army

And he is heading out for this war

I really need him to be here

But I know what we are fighting for



My daddy said we need to be tough now

He said that these people can be really bad

But I am so afraid of losing my daddy

that I often get so sad



So can you do me just one small favor

make this war really short just for me

cause I along with lots of other kids

really will miss my daddy



I sent it out the next morning

Then I had to kiss my daddy good bye

He hugged me and told me to be brave

But I still had to break down and cry



He was going away on a destroyer

A ship that will shoot at bad guys

There were lots of people on the piers

And each one had tears in their eyes



The ship pulled away as we stood there

We all tried to be brave and strong

But my mommy knew that the mission

might be one that was very long



Each night before I crawled into bed

I would kneel down and say a prayer

Dear God if you are really listening

can you keep them all safe over there



Letters would come from my daddy

Not often but once in a while

Mommy would make copies from the computer

And they would all be set into a pile



The war broke out one month later

Mommy and I watched the news every night

We said our prayers for daddy

Asking God to let him please be alright





School was for me a safe haven

For my friends would rally around with support

They all promised me they would be there

When my daddy's ship would pull back into port



My teacher called me up front Monday morning

She said that she had a message for me

She had heard on the news that morning

My daddy would be returning from sea



I ran home that day so excited

I could imagine a big smile on mom's face

I wondered if she would have heard it

Yup she knew exactly what pier and what base



My friends all helped make a banner

We hung it over the front door that was new

It said welcome home from the war

We are so very proud of you



The ship pulled into port Friday morning

I stood right there by my mom's side

She smiled when she saw my father coming

She had been so afraid he would have died



I gave my dear daddy a hug and a kiss

I told him about that letter I wrote

He said he had heard all about it

AS he reached in his pocket for a note



He said this was given to me this morning

I was told I had to give it to you

Something about a president seal

Is what made it come from me straight to you



I opened the envelope quickly

And inside there was a letter for me

It said here is your father safe and sound

Thanks for having so much faith in us Johnny



So there you all have my special story

But there is one more thing I need to add

Say a prayer for all the other soldiers

For they helped take care of my dad

Written by Mary Greeley

August 2003