 鲜花( 152)  鸡蛋( 1)
|
本帖最后由 billzhao 于 2014-11-7 11:35 编辑 $ s9 ^+ o1 ~1 c/ ~* u
+ f0 |# k- R u2 L
1 w1 r" Z7 g# T. P4 @0 X' b$ ^: D1 b
" c( m( D( t3 N4 E H0 l4 y
“Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
& ~, |( g- R% O. a( k3 I And held one forth, but I shook my head 5 @" M! q& \9 m; ~
Then I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare ! A1 c& g: K F5 T2 N
Her face was old, and lined with care,
. t9 Y7 E3 h0 g, I2 \2 K2 W/ iYet beneath the scars, the years had made
) G \- r; ]4 r% H- j3 oThere remained a smile that refused to fade.
9 ]' c* U; {2 n( f5 K9 m; Z. f
) N. E7 i A" j1 H+ M5 q7 KA boy came whistling down the street 9 g) ]) B2 @) q4 r- n5 y" B$ S2 e
Bounding along on his carefree feet
& G8 `: L- i* t, p- tHis smile was full of joy and fun
# n1 l6 R4 G3 G “Lady” he said, “can I have one?
0 ]( w; J/ y/ H5 i; {4 O) ^As she pinned it on I heard him say
J7 v8 N [8 Z% x x, I' n“Why do we wear the poppy today?” * J j! c# L* o0 {
The lady smiled in her wistful way & B1 q o; T4 K5 t1 I9 \) F( T! }
And answered “this is remembrance day”
2 o9 y2 d2 E% H+ g- b, e* H$ i7 @
“The poppy is the symbol for the,
$ X/ z+ t7 o7 w! FThe gallant men and women who died in the war”.9 C+ l& i; N5 k( y/ H/ k9 h, ]
“And because they did we are free, that’s why we wear the poppy you see” 4 `2 a1 `( J- Q- W2 o$ h4 m8 E
/ t( q! m5 \& x4 K$ b
“I had a boy about your size, with golden hair and big blue eyes,
% |$ b. M( e; U% d1 j1 dHe loved to play and jump and shout, free as a bird he would race about”
- i8 S9 K6 D( W d* u$ l1 }4 QAs the years went by he learnt and grew, and became a man as you will to”, $ i, f) P+ H1 d( _2 V8 D2 S! Y5 w
He was fine and strong with a boyish smile, 5 n7 [3 I/ A6 p. }' r% I, P
But he seemed to be with us a such a short while
" c: C, r& D+ f) p) U2 qWhen the War broke out he went away
5 g5 X3 Q6 C4 c* Z! TI can still remember his face that day
" p' I+ U- I5 UWhen he smiled at me and said goodbye
" [6 s5 h- ` I# a- A4 ?: M“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry” " u, d5 }) j5 K
7 K4 a" I3 r0 GBut the War went on and he had to stay
- p6 e; T+ S5 x8 XAll I could do was wait and pray , F- R) c8 ~8 d! F% s# G9 b
His letters told of an awful fight m+ H! ?& {$ H! E3 y
I can see it still in my dreams at night & n* \) X+ w" s2 O; ]
With the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire 5 d& y8 d; c* `- d8 b: c/ x
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire
! f8 a. q, i) f7 t' ^& f8 \Until at last the War was won ; g* G. K; h. P1 @& M
And that is why we wear the poppy son
2 _3 @' j4 w- v+ f$ K* g% w" E0 x l9 _. m2 Q6 [, O X1 N
The small boy turned as if to go
7 I- y. i/ r# l: V8 GThen stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know” 0 a+ d' h- f0 D/ `. N! a
That sure did sound like an awful fight, Z& K ?# u" S; a. |
“But your son, did he come home all right”? 0 T8 _/ [; V3 k; p& q
A tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head : s7 n$ X2 O+ u9 u
But didn’t speak.
: M" X" d8 v* U- [0 ]6 L/ l7 }1 M* V9 `9 Y3 X. {
I slunk away, head bowed in shame, $ _! E8 H1 v' l/ U6 I' d
And if you were me, you’d have done the same, u) ^) e% b; R9 A5 e& l i! w, j9 i
For our thanks in giving is often delayed ' |$ `8 e% R) W. a1 w% n
Though our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.
8 L T5 d1 t; \& u1 D! i' ~# u7 \1 E& ^( u& R9 o2 N
And so, when you see a poppy worn
3 @# \8 W% h% }& xLet us reflect on the burden borne
$ D+ n# e/ z+ I( l8 _: i' g/ z) \) l9 TBy those who gave their precious all 9 i: Q& r/ f" {3 X
When asked to answer their countries call % i2 j( `. P$ L1 ]/ X) K- k
That we at home, in peace may live
- z/ t. i! C, }6 r: Z; _Then wear a poppy, remember, and give. |
|