Why wear a poppy

billzhao

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4 h+ n! o7 }9 F$ D5 }* P; r “Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
1 B5 U1 d/ G5 K( M' y And held one forth, but I shook my head
, V+ p( n, n; }- G& I$ U0 jThen I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare
: D# H5 i) m: l4 {+ nHer face was old, and lined with care,
7 u. X2 A' h  Z: uYet beneath the scars, the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
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4 o  ]1 C7 j! h* J, x) a( ^* \A boy came whistling down the street
0 o& n) z8 U' c3 x/ V4 DBounding along on his carefree feet
His smile was full of joy and fun
; k/ ~2 t# D6 o# y. ^ “Lady” he said, “can I have one?
3 ~8 i; E; t+ X8 y, m  R8 U9 iAs she pinned it on I heard him say
  U, U  [! R" O+ Y2 |; W“Why do we wear the poppy today?”
1 _% F- \. J* TThe lady smiled in her wistful way
3 g, U$ S9 [$ `7 Q# W. LAnd answered “this is remembrance day”
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“The poppy is the symbol for the,
The gallant men and women who died in the war”.
“And because they did we are free, that’s why we wear the poppy you see”
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“I had a boy about your size, with golden hair and big blue eyes,
) }( c1 Z: C, J" X9 w% BHe loved to play and jump and shout, free as a bird he would race about”
As the years went by he learnt and grew, and became a man as you will to”,
He was fine and strong with a boyish smile,
; m  \7 }/ p  kBut he seemed to be with us a such a short while
( N: Z: y: k4 d( w5 O; s, rWhen the War broke out he went away
I can still remember his face that day
* W% Z" Y1 D* i; i: W0 W% BWhen he smiled at me and said goodbye
“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry”
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But the War went on and he had to stay
+ D( R; D( @+ y; OAll I could do was wait and pray
His letters told of an awful fight
I can see it still in my dreams at night
- c' W0 @5 `5 }* C9 LWith the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire
6 E, e. n: Z+ t" u" f' M- u1 s! `Until at last the War was won
And that is why we wear the poppy son
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& X. z/ ~+ v6 A; e& \The small boy turned as if to go
Then stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know”
( v, w6 P- n9 p2 O2 W, `* M( qThat sure did sound like an awful fight
' u9 z! r; b( \+ c, |6 V8 z' V8 A “But your son, did he come home all right”?
  }! _) x8 p; X* s; Q) Y% c; OA tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
But didn’t speak.
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7 x+ t. \  S4 ^I slunk away, head bowed in shame,
* ^# t- g6 U( d0 l! |+ K' nAnd if you were me, you’d have done the same,
For our thanks in giving is often delayed
7 O2 d' Z/ A0 z3 NThough our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.

- i) p4 |' z; ?% \And so, when you see a poppy worn
/ c0 T  [& d) X2 [4 D0 _; [Let us reflect on the burden borne
By those who gave their precious all
5 \5 j) Y- O8 z$ Q  R9 w. pWhen asked to answer their countries call
  {8 P, _+ Q1 Z) v) }That we at home, in peace may live
Then wear a poppy, remember, and give.

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