Never heard you call me daddy

never heard you call me daddy
never have I heard you weep
I never held you in my arms
never saw you face to face
but my little girl I loved you
more than I could ever say

I talk to the photo taken,
when you were only two
mention your name in my prayers
and at night, when I sleep,
we're walking together in the park
your asking me questions a growing child asks
I answer with a touch of pride, slipping in a few words of wisdom,
then I pick you up and hold you high
you delightfully squeal, "Higher daddy, I want to touch the clouds,
I want to reach the moon, I want to grab hold the stars."
I say upon awakening, "My little girl, the world belongs to you."

I never heard you call me daddy
never have I heard you weep
I never held you in my arms
never saw you face to face
but my little girl I loved you
more than I could ever say

It was for you I went off, to a strange new place,
to keep you away from what I grew up in
away from the trouble and hate
working slop jobs uncounted, all for minimal pay,
working towards that day I'd see you face to face
but I read one day in a letter how you were taken away
they buried you beside your mamma, who died that same tragic day,
they placed on your grave a tombstone I bought with the money I saved
the words written there were the only words i knew to say

I never heard you call me daddy
never have I heard you weep
I never held you in my arms
never saw you face to face
but my little girl I loved you
more than I could ever say

I never saw an angel
never seen a spirit before
but I know when I get to heaven
I'll know you right away
I'll take you in my arms
hold you for years to come
and in your ear I'll cry to you
the words writ upon your grave

I never heard you call me daddy
never have I heard you weep
I never held you in my arms
never saw you face to face
but my little girl I loved you
more than I could ever say

my little girl I love you
more than I can ever say
my little girl I love you
and here we'll stay face to face.

never heard you call me daddy
never have I heard you weep
I never held you in my arms
never saw you face to face
but my little girl I loved you
more than I could ever say