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本帖最后由 billzhao 于 2014-11-7 11:35 编辑 $ [! @1 s5 r1 ]8 ]
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“Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
; c) D J& m- M% @ And held one forth, but I shook my head
4 P2 u6 V0 n, c, M$ ?; c" }6 k9 P/ I& \Then I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare " |6 \* j' S. _' m8 ?
Her face was old, and lined with care,
4 {. }8 Q" Q0 [Yet beneath the scars, the years had made % D+ q& t* S" _+ }3 q7 g% l
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
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6 g) A* X) k& q4 c1 m" _A boy came whistling down the street . l! n# D3 Q, t
Bounding along on his carefree feet ) l8 Z5 Z# j$ p, x- y
His smile was full of joy and fun! u( V5 E S5 X( R; t8 y j2 B# _
“Lady” he said, “can I have one? / t) z2 Z. n& d/ {. |
As she pinned it on I heard him say
1 ~" Z% j# [7 e ?0 C: }“Why do we wear the poppy today?” + x b$ g7 \% l; q
The lady smiled in her wistful way
: m- x _0 D5 `& z/ c4 zAnd answered “this is remembrance day” : U# J9 b5 e" D5 P5 t
# g' x9 K* E U( j8 J+ v“The poppy is the symbol for the,
p1 |. Q) v: Q( D6 Z G$ ?The gallant men and women who died in the war”.: e9 `; x! F4 X! b, N6 \- S+ I
“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,
- n8 h; f! N. i1 [ z6 vHe loved to play and jump and shout, free as a bird he would race about” " y7 f1 c1 X( g: w
As the years went by he learnt and grew, and became a man as you will to”,
: H# C3 F- `' v0 M: E5 @( zHe was fine and strong with a boyish smile, 8 X# K5 @% w4 c6 e4 q
But he seemed to be with us a such a short while
& E( _( r5 x7 e$ fWhen the War broke out he went away 2 Z; n# p- F! B, _! n
I can still remember his face that day . T; w Y# E$ H$ R6 i' V; J
When he smiled at me and said goodbye : L# F# L; `" w2 K# C
“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry” ; _# ^' z8 Y- v" U* {1 i* l
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But the War went on and he had to stay
. n. S, {1 {" q. V5 W$ K8 G( y+ d$ CAll I could do was wait and pray
* S% _1 G+ @7 B( n- c9 tHis letters told of an awful fight ( r4 h8 M9 N$ g7 d& |5 F
I can see it still in my dreams at night u) s/ [" [& E: j ^5 {
With the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire ' ? Q, A$ j& P6 {1 p
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire
s( C# f& O* |/ GUntil at last the War was won . F. U5 p, \9 d, K3 w" J( m
And that is why we wear the poppy son 1 k2 b, _9 }0 A# `; K; I
$ v( j9 ~2 H. o* @/ q( wThe small boy turned as if to go # u7 y; J S6 w2 |: o
Then stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know”
3 [' F) U/ p: w9 v: S% QThat sure did sound like an awful fight
+ h- w# x4 k! ?! n1 k “But your son, did he come home all right”?
4 B$ ^) q3 b* s2 X( SA tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
6 X7 D i/ S$ k4 oBut didn’t speak.
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, c6 i& Q+ W0 H6 _3 m. ?I slunk away, head bowed in shame,
$ `$ F( u" |8 {; b+ b& P- X% {6 SAnd if you were me, you’d have done the same,
6 Y* h, s+ J( L8 c- o5 V* tFor our thanks in giving is often delayed
4 }0 r* \8 {8 o8 _" YThough our freedom was bought by the legions who paid. ) }9 e+ _& B6 A& g* |
% [. F& f0 I, t' b- w- @And so, when you see a poppy worn $ l {( ^- [# _9 k2 g
Let us reflect on the burden borne . q* ?; @2 x9 V# p1 U! W5 N3 ~
By those who gave their precious all
2 \8 n; [7 b8 L. \' K/ O3 d( n# ^When asked to answer their countries call 3 Z. T! ~# m% `0 A* V; t" _3 J
That we at home, in peace may live 3 a) O& _' F) z0 S+ [1 Q
Then wear a poppy, remember, and give. |
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