Why wear a poppy

billzhao

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) p. \4 L8 V6 o# v3 L “Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head
! N; \' C) @3 O! v8 N9 h7 H  l% V/ T& yThen I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare
1 X0 ~- b3 q% _4 O8 R+ c4 U$ o6 ]Her face was old, and lined with care,
Yet beneath the scars, the years had made
( ?' v1 K9 l  w5 m% x6 JThere remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street
. _! O7 U  X! l5 B' VBounding along on his carefree feet
3 I) O# c( D+ q& P0 U; {: C1 aHis smile was full of joy and fun
“Lady” he said, “can I have one?
; H3 ?8 o* e2 M2 C* V. QAs she pinned it on I heard him say
6 [4 E& P+ F8 m: b“Why do we wear the poppy today?”
The lady smiled in her wistful way
+ E: Z' J+ a$ z* \5 C# sAnd answered “this is remembrance day”
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4 F8 q: q- H+ Z+ k6 T5 D“The poppy is the symbol for the,
The gallant men and women who died in the war”.
0 x3 {$ D( y* z# g, n “And because they did we are free, that’s why we wear the poppy you see”

, M* I$ Q) Z, t1 e( P. h* ?“I had a boy about your size, with golden hair and big blue eyes,
He loved to play and jump and shout, free as a bird he would race about”
. s# P7 c5 e# _As the years went by he learnt and grew, and became a man as you will to”,
9 S2 |, U5 E- S/ O4 C3 OHe was fine and strong with a boyish smile,
/ C0 N! _, ~- q; s9 r2 o) ]/ }4 pBut he seemed to be with us a such a short while
9 m, }4 _# ^  i4 F8 WWhen the War broke out he went away
I can still remember his face that day
5 W- g; n7 }! P0 L+ {$ {; N; iWhen he smiled at me and said goodbye
“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry”
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8 m! t1 {) o5 E7 e+ w9 |4 hBut the War went on and he had to stay
All I could do was wait and pray
His letters told of an awful fight
I can see it still in my dreams at night
With the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire
' a: e' H9 M5 ?6 @. ]1 X/ uAnd the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire
  {2 M/ W7 H9 p8 l# A1 e0 YUntil at last the War was won
And that is why we wear the poppy son
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The small boy turned as if to go
, G: w  \" ?1 F1 p2 @8 ~" l5 MThen stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know”
That sure did sound like an awful fight
“But your son, did he come home all right”?
: b* p+ M" n* G0 uA tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
+ _! \5 ^4 S! V# d/ EBut didn’t speak.

. T1 x: t6 I: nI slunk away, head bowed in shame,
& D( b$ Q4 \; J3 v) |0 E5 rAnd if you were me, you’d have done the same,
$ z5 K. }# b* t0 l$ e/ dFor our thanks in giving is often delayed
Though our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.

2 D- V; T* A* |! j/ cAnd so, when you see a poppy worn
Let us reflect on the burden borne
% t# j' {3 z2 s$ l6 b% w/ VBy those who gave their precious all
When asked to answer their countries call
That we at home, in peace may live
! ?, N/ z" C7 V, n+ DThen wear a poppy, remember, and give.

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