Why wear a poppy

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4 u$ m" b$ A  Q" C% B “Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
. {" n- K6 {+ r8 i" l And held one forth, but I shook my head
3 y! m- ?/ S2 A: P( P" @5 [Then I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare
Her face was old, and lined with care,
Yet beneath the scars, the years had made
' n% V# |8 {8 |+ Y2 BThere remained a smile that refused to fade.
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A boy came whistling down the street
5 Z. d. {4 e, N! Y$ [Bounding along on his carefree feet
His smile was full of joy and fun
3 I+ g% ^( j: V, T  l) s “Lady” he said, “can I have one?
6 t, `9 O5 ~; T( F& t% }' d$ wAs she pinned it on I heard him say
' J; Z/ e: j0 M! ~! C3 e$ O" L“Why do we wear the poppy today?”
3 n& v( b4 o2 i9 _6 Y/ kThe lady smiled in her wistful way
, {- Y) o; `/ Q# M, OAnd answered “this is remembrance day”

“The poppy is the symbol for the,
! K3 {- ?+ w6 U1 Y3 `  U+ lThe 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,
% Z9 b, j" }, n- S0 c: X/ P) VHe loved to play and jump and shout, free as a bird he would race about”
& E9 j. e3 U+ m: W- o: NAs the years went by he learnt and grew, and became a man as you will to”,
) I$ K6 i; T3 I/ ZHe was fine and strong with a boyish smile,
& i4 ~& x$ j6 }5 R+ [% j: k# QBut he seemed to be with us a such a short while
When the War broke out he went away
' W: J2 t/ U+ ~% m3 |; K' W/ q  MI can still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said goodbye
6 G1 n8 E" d7 i4 W“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry”
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But the War went on and he had to stay
All I could do was wait and pray
# C- F: Q" Q+ J' ?& n3 x# qHis letters told of an awful fight
- y. u+ Y! g% S1 N  E+ g6 N2 NI can see it still in my dreams at night
With the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire
% H  B2 l) b% C& Z. AUntil at last the War was won
9 V- j, G# j3 S  B* T  IAnd that is why we wear the poppy son

The small boy turned as if to go
4 n+ A! v0 I: s1 |: ?Then stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know”
That sure did sound like an awful fight
0 Y5 c* c% T8 f1 ~ “But your son, did he come home all right”?
A tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
But didn’t speak.
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% b) ^! O% H: G8 K) i7 q! E9 a" @+ l. zI slunk away, head bowed in shame,
And if you were me, you’d have done the same,
$ w1 o6 I0 d/ o( X5 |7 EFor our thanks in giving is often delayed
Though our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.

And so, when you see a poppy worn
Let us reflect on the burden borne
By those who gave their precious all
* K  k9 i( Z$ Z6 K- O2 vWhen asked to answer their countries call
That we at home, in peace may live
: g; [- g0 M& ?; CThen wear a poppy, remember, and give.

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