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本帖最后由 billzhao 于 2014-11-7 11:35 编辑
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“Please wear a poppy”, the old lady said
4 }# E. W& p# R5 P And held one forth, but I shook my head
5 j3 i4 g; B# c7 J& tThen I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare 7 B; s4 x5 u$ [( d" X: N9 b
Her face was old, and lined with care, + m7 G" v) v) f& f* q7 U) N% d
Yet beneath the scars, the years had made 8 }3 k" \4 o3 R8 Y4 S* H; P6 u2 e! w
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
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) M D4 Q! ~5 u- I6 ZA boy came whistling down the street : c: f9 q8 W: X
Bounding along on his carefree feet
' @" v2 {) A# S) w2 cHis smile was full of joy and fun F6 t* R! @# z. ^2 R8 z/ J9 J
“Lady” he said, “can I have one? # I$ C2 T6 G* M% y/ P0 V
As she pinned it on I heard him say 0 v" ^& C6 o& D, b3 ?
“Why do we wear the poppy today?”
2 N" R2 D3 S' C9 e) y: d0 l8 XThe lady smiled in her wistful way
/ I+ F( ?! r! D% {And answered “this is remembrance day”
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“The poppy is the symbol for the, 1 z# n; G, K8 b. |, `6 h/ G2 W
The gallant men and women who died in the war”.
7 N v& }: @6 u1 S “And because they did we are free, that’s why we wear the poppy you see”
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$ I1 S- ~) X4 N“I had a boy about your size, with golden hair and big blue eyes, , m; @3 Z9 j4 B5 P8 s- Q
He loved to play and jump and shout, free as a bird he would race about” * q; P' n! Y( q
As the years went by he learnt and grew, and became a man as you will to”,
) M3 \; Y) c# K( oHe was fine and strong with a boyish smile,
e0 J3 i/ H( yBut he seemed to be with us a such a short while
$ K# r2 I& \6 a. vWhen the War broke out he went away
; a. j8 b& D* a4 [2 u/ nI can still remember his face that day 2 Z* F9 s5 j- X( G6 m
When he smiled at me and said goodbye ; Q) q3 N& C6 P6 j; ]4 g( b
“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry” 2 R# E! D' p7 C5 G9 Y
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But the War went on and he had to stay 6 o5 y. O8 r; I& o* b
All I could do was wait and pray $ |; t- S; I- k: T, g# J, s4 X3 U! l
His letters told of an awful fight ) f% N, K/ X& O7 q
I can see it still in my dreams at night * i; v7 v! d# C7 ?, Y: `+ k2 T
With the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire
. i: o2 G! f: L8 E6 pAnd the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire
, P1 K. q% L; I+ tUntil at last the War was won - z$ ]1 [# C+ j E5 T2 w% ~
And that is why we wear the poppy son 0 ?" a5 ], z3 H" y
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The small boy turned as if to go
- O% M; I* t" J" \" b3 iThen stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know” 7 w. C; [$ L5 d. I' R# S
That sure did sound like an awful fight
8 [% n% o( i4 B3 P. A; b p “But your son, did he come home all right”?
j4 k5 o& Y8 L& \/ YA tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
2 H8 t7 m. R# cBut didn’t speak.1 Z( A5 P8 y' W" V
% u/ c: n* r8 f9 x0 k# D& k$ k" G0 W( hI slunk away, head bowed in shame, + ?! c' E8 x. i# Y( C
And if you were me, you’d have done the same, : U! k O: s7 l/ j1 y: Q9 C
For our thanks in giving is often delayed
# K2 D) ^ D: I0 j+ _Though our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.
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And so, when you see a poppy worn
+ [/ d1 l1 L% CLet us reflect on the burden borne
8 [" T: X1 O# \, i* k8 Q \By those who gave their precious all
" _4 i4 d4 A, Z' w y1 a! jWhen asked to answer their countries call $ [6 {# z3 k1 D- u
That we at home, in peace may live . k8 `& e( T3 T5 z
Then wear a poppy, remember, and give. |
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