Why wear a poppy

billzhao

  
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% R2 i, T1 p+ `+ q “Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head
' R- A2 L4 j5 LThen I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare
: I$ z& Y& \$ Y. QHer face was old, and lined with care,
* p, `5 t1 z2 N6 p: RYet beneath the scars, the years had made
& @: s4 c  |/ y* q9 |, nThere remained a smile that refused to fade.

: k2 `* {1 o  Z' q1 T: YA boy came whistling down the street
' \- j2 _5 c* O8 PBounding along on his carefree feet
+ O" x+ P5 Q1 P4 ^4 c$ O7 v6 ~His smile was full of joy and fun
“Lady” he said, “can I have one?
) \0 j& I: S1 X; KAs she pinned it on I heard him say
“Why do we wear the poppy today?”
The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered “this is remembrance day”
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“The poppy is the symbol for the,
The gallant men and women who died in the war”.
) h5 J+ R, U+ J8 x; Q5 d8 ?7 L. c “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,
  _, u4 l! ]0 dHe loved to play and jump and shout, free as a bird he would race about”
* @* b" O6 g& F5 iAs 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,
But he seemed to be with us a such a short while
: h2 M7 \: h5 IWhen the War broke out he went away
6 V5 B: `' _. U8 K9 N$ KI can still remember his face that day
- t4 U) P) X# h3 ^6 E! C% n7 a. ZWhen he smiled at me and said goodbye
& Y0 g; ?% ~  [& E/ [0 O“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry”

7 U8 d* j+ L, g/ T5 [3 fBut the War went on and he had to stay
7 n' p4 U6 V' |" e7 m; A4 fAll I could do was wait and pray
6 ?0 {7 A6 k' V7 [His letters told of an awful fight
# [* n, o/ }9 p, w9 wI can see it still in my dreams at night
3 c$ c  k+ O% Z' V6 [With the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire
And 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
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: m* {+ L1 i2 l% r* F' ]7 ?2 [- `The small boy turned as if to go
Then stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know”
8 V! q0 C  L7 n. F9 c* UThat sure did sound like an awful fight
- W  I2 |+ Z: X4 x “But your son, did he come home all right”?
0 p' N) {: z2 v" W- c2 ^, WA tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
( w7 m0 z+ z) m$ d8 ]0 }7 }% F5 e3 bBut didn’t speak.
7 O* @. K. P" S5 x9 R; ^
* g% D4 ?+ ^' g5 _) Y7 _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
  q$ }! ?/ ]2 k! Q0 JThough our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.

And so, when you see a poppy worn
# z: a1 z6 N$ d: W2 yLet us reflect on the burden borne
By those who gave their precious all
When asked to answer their countries call
That we at home, in peace may live
Then wear a poppy, remember, and give.

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