Why wear a poppy

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“Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head
4 ]: [; H3 Y# R( b. MThen I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare
  ?$ M7 Z. n: B% J9 N* GHer face was old, and lined with care,
) W$ a" Y& j* `% j, FYet beneath the scars, the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street
Bounding along on his carefree feet
) [' a" V5 c2 sHis smile was full of joy and fun
# e3 l. a6 G# i  @$ g$ | “Lady” he said, “can I have one?
" D9 e& E+ P  X1 RAs she pinned it on I heard him say
“Why do we wear the poppy today?”
The lady smiled in her wistful way
/ r7 t0 b) v- i( yAnd answered “this is remembrance day”
' ^; ~5 y8 V% @9 k7 v8 x
“The poppy is the symbol for the,
: Y' |! i' t- \$ R: q. q) z$ QThe 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”
$ d9 I1 V* j( K  @1 e+ x
- |5 w: j" X4 P) z“I had a boy about your size, with golden hair and big blue eyes,
: o& y2 u& Q5 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”,
0 U  z3 ~8 y' m/ U0 @He was fine and strong with a boyish smile,
: {! K  k% Q; k3 S( J5 v2 s+ mBut he seemed to be with us a such a short while
' v8 r) z6 d& W/ |( _When the War broke out he went away
I can still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said goodbye
“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry”
. y5 c: O7 f( z
But the War went on and he had to stay
All I could do was wait and pray
) l; R9 F1 A& W2 jHis letters told of an awful fight
I can see it still in my dreams at night
% l4 S" d( n' F6 q( m7 oWith the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire
$ H% A1 z) t7 gAnd the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire
Until at last the War was won
And that is why we wear the poppy son
6 ?0 N7 Q+ I7 _& T  R- d
The small boy turned as if to go
Then 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”?
% f2 q, p5 E" r1 X2 r: HA tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
9 U( l* B- ?+ e( z  x$ rBut didn’t speak.

I slunk away, head bowed in shame,
And if you were me, you’d have done the same,
For our thanks in giving is often delayed
0 w7 _" z( ~2 l8 kThough our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.
1 ~% S% X+ u  Y% |& S( g( k$ b1 s8 F
And so, when you see a poppy worn
0 r! r0 q8 R" s& u' _4 sLet us reflect on the burden borne
By those who gave their precious all
) F6 J" b; h0 y  N9 J) PWhen asked to answer their countries call
That we at home, in peace may live
! o0 g, e7 S# ^3 ^Then wear a poppy, remember, and give.

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