A little packet arrived br Tied with a black ribbon br An ominous sign it bore br The name and address br Was almost illegible br Yet the young girl br Accepted it happily br Assuming that it br Was a birthday gift br From her missing Dad br br He had been gone br Mysteriously for br A very long time br And her Mom had br Not offered any br Kind of explanation br She just refused br To talk about him br Leaving the little br Child bewildered br br Not waiting for her br Mother to return br She carefully untied br The black ribbon br Unwrapped the br Brown paper br To find a little br Black box and in it br Was a tiny locket br Pinned to an untidy note br br But before she could br Open it there was br A knock on the door br The courier man br Completely shaken br Had returned br The box was not br Meant to be delivered br To her but handed over br Only to her Mother br br The little girl refused br To return the box br She gripped it firmly br And screamed aloud br That it was a present br From her dear Dad br He had never br Forgotten her birthday br So it just had br To be for her br br The Drama continued br Until her Mother br Returned home br And took the parcel br Now it was her turn br To cry out aloud br The locket contained br No picture, just a few br Drops of what looked br Like dried blood br br The scribbled note read br “By the time this br Reaches you br I will be dead br Ensure that br Our little girl br Knows nothing br And remembers me br Always as her dear br And loving Daddy”br br Sandra Martyresbr br