Why wear a poppy

billzhao

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; T! a4 r# Y9 n2 o+ b5 E% ~5 T “Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
4 w5 v+ l1 Q: Q4 d And held one forth, but I shook my head
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
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
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A boy came whistling down the street
% M$ h8 [( B. e, ^* K& G" V: _Bounding along on his carefree feet
$ P! t& }0 N" GHis smile was full of joy and fun
# P+ a. @5 r1 Z  Y' Y1 g “Lady” he said, “can I have one?
As she pinned it on I heard him say
“Why do we wear the poppy today?”
0 ]6 O  s# A6 i  v2 _The lady smiled in her wistful way
- R+ J' _1 [4 y' R) G, u( T% hAnd answered “this is remembrance day”

- d, T7 |" h8 f% v# m7 \“The poppy is the symbol for the,
* c+ D7 \/ M! k: Z5 UThe 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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8 x0 x1 D8 E0 p$ S/ B. p0 @“I had a boy about your size, with golden hair and big blue eyes,
8 z- T1 W8 c; B4 n  jHe 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,
1 B1 |- c. T) `9 Z; t1 d2 aBut he seemed to be with us a such a short while
When the War broke out he went away
' D4 e8 y& }+ Q+ PI 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”

* l" d2 a2 L  h: [/ iBut the War went on and he had to stay
All I could do was wait and pray
His letters told of an awful fight
. ~5 {: b! u7 v- S! LI 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
  w. F* ^! d3 H+ [Until at last the War was won
And that is why we wear the poppy son

The small boy turned as if to go
8 z! Q4 `9 {$ G! [* fThen stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know”
- D0 A' C0 L: m; T9 V9 y( C) o1 Z# W- CThat sure did sound like an awful fight
“But your son, did he come home all right”?
A tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
But didn’t speak.

I slunk away, head bowed in shame,
2 j. M/ u3 ?# iAnd if you were me, you’d have done the same,
8 g$ g- J# ?- e) Q2 v$ W$ e/ V/ ?For our thanks in giving is often delayed
Though 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
- V2 j8 j* Y, N4 YBy those who gave their precious all
- R4 [$ _- U+ o# i/ d" P) RWhen asked to answer their countries call
+ \; J4 V! R8 k, c3 QThat we at home, in peace may live
Then wear a poppy, remember, and give.

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