Why wear a poppy

billzhao

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“Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head
& {! ]8 X4 [2 W7 S) |/ iThen I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare
, X5 z. c4 t9 @Her face was old, and lined with care,
: r2 D: S9 q, o+ gYet beneath the scars, the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
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' _. N- _0 r. ?* ^/ C; b: ?A boy came whistling down the street
Bounding along on his carefree feet
His smile was full of joy and fun
“Lady” he said, “can I have one?
As she pinned it on I heard him say
5 h% y2 S! J# G# x  j4 K“Why do we wear the poppy today?”
The lady smiled in her wistful way
0 U! V$ A. F6 j% z' kAnd answered “this is remembrance day”
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8 K  M1 p+ q- C# ~* T' y; T“The poppy is the symbol for the,
9 |! w' O9 C+ M* ^: p" ~The gallant men and women who died in the war”.
& k, P" ^* \: `' u$ {8 F; q# |1 d2 }) S “And because they did we are free, that’s why we wear the poppy you see”
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/ N( d7 ]+ @$ i9 S0 V2 {. D/ z, Z“I had a boy about your size, with golden hair and big blue eyes,
1 _/ p, a1 |4 `0 aHe 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”,
4 `5 T9 h! @* r- K) ]0 r! IHe was fine and strong with a boyish smile,
' A# n8 L$ D* ]/ h  o( `5 FBut he seemed to be with us a such a short while
When the War broke out he went away
I can still remember his face that day
+ |6 q" N& g( ~: _! v' nWhen he smiled at me and said goodbye
% J6 a8 J4 d  b* \; K! a$ A“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry”
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2 o8 L1 @& {; o% w. z/ s/ DBut the War went on and he had to stay
0 m: v/ w. D! HAll I could do was wait and pray
His letters told of an awful fight
I can see it still in my dreams at night
7 e# Q% \, {* r2 K1 yWith the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire
4 X, z7 t- k- I5 PAnd the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire
3 s6 m. O: ]$ K- P( t1 ^2 D& CUntil 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# H( v: B6 y5 H+ c- V, z9 B- F! wThen stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know”
That sure did sound like an awful fight
3 K- |+ B" g( X$ U2 w/ U “But your son, did he come home all right”?
) t6 E! a, N0 ]4 cA tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
! s! @: }! H: P( qBut didn’t speak.

I slunk away, head bowed in shame,
* t6 u' q- ^8 _( T8 g. JAnd if you were me, you’d have done the same,
For our thanks in giving is often delayed
4 s( C, [: y: C6 mThough our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.
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And so, when you see a poppy worn
Let us reflect on the burden borne
1 K# n1 i! u" }8 ?8 t* `6 wBy those who gave their precious all
When asked to answer their countries call
/ A/ A4 A! n( {* ?That we at home, in peace may live
Then wear a poppy, remember, and give.

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