On Father’s Day

Editor’s note: Charles “Buddy” Conrado wrote this poem to his daughter Mary Ann (Seely) of Meeker during World War II.

Mary Ann …
You will never know or guess
How much happiness and joy
Has come in your steps
Because you have brought
A message — the message that
The King of Kings “God” sends
With the newborn.
You come in a middle of a War
As proof that a new life awaits all
That once more sweetness and kindness
Will reign supreme throughout the world
A once more the people of the cruel
Pagans can enjoy the privileges
Of faith and happy survival
You stand for all that our great country
Is fighting for and though your uncles
Cannot be here to deliver their blessings
They are saying it on grimaced lips
As they fight on the many far scattered battlefield,
And fight harder to hasten the time
When they can return and see their niece
Above all things I can only say
Set your patter of life after your mother
And if you become like her, you will be
The sweetest and nicest person in the world
You will have beauty that will radiate
Like a star and God will smile on you
As he did on us when he brought you
Your father is just an ordinary person
And is very thankful that God chose him
To have you and realizes that though
Unworthy of such a sweet beautiful girl
Will just strive to become a better man
And will work ever so hard to make
You and your darling mother happy
— Charles “Buddy” Conrado