A box, that’s all I was left with when I was seven. A box of trouble, pain that haunts me in my sleep waking me up gasping for air. Daddy come back, come back to the house of yesterday where the grass is green, the sky the most perfect shade of blue. Daddy I miss you, I’m stuck here wondering what I did wrong to make you run away. Daddy where are you? My fist are red from bleeding, raw, from beating myself down. My head has open wounds from pounding it against these clean white walls hoping. praying to God they fall down, bringing you back to me. We grew up without a dad, he was somewhere else, too busy for us. Daddy, when are you coming home, do you miss me at all? Daddy you came back, you’re not really here though. You being gone changed you somehow. Look at me! Do you recognize me?Can you remember all of the things we use to do? Do you only remember the bombs, guns, and violence you’ve been around for the last two years? I’m sorry you had to be around that Daddy, even more sorry I lost you in the process. I’m no longer the little girl you thought I would be. I grew up fighting to survive, not being able to trust anyone. I get in trouble and cuss when I get mad. I’m sorry Daddy, please don’t be disappointed. I’m sixteen now, still haunted by those nightmares of you leaving. The box is the same nine years later, in the dream you’re leaving again. You promise me it’ll only be for a little. Daddy I’ve lived this nightmare before and we know it will be awhile before I can hug you again! Dear Mr. President, bring my father home, end this war. All it’s done is tear families apart, ruining the lives of the little ones growing up in the middle of it. I hate you, I hate you for everything you’ve put me through! I’ll never want to travel to Iraq, they knocked down our towers making you leave! They’re the reason I don’t have my Daddy anymore. So forget everything you do to make it so I can sleep peacefully at night! You may have brought his body back in one piece, but, his mind has never been the same since that deployment nine years ago.