Hello Everyone,
Perhaps I should have waited for November to post this? I love poetry and came across this poem in a book I bought recently.
I would say the sentiments are universal even though we know about the Great War and Flanders field.
It's by anonymous, no one knows who wrote it and it comes from a book of poetry called Forever and Anon (ISBN 978-1-906217 11-2).
Why are they Selling Poppies?
Why are they selling poppies, Mummy,
Selling poppies in town today?'
'The poppies, child, are flowers of love,
For the men who marched away,'
But why have they chosen a poppy, Mummy,
Why not a beautiful rose?'
'Because, my child, men fought and died
in the fields where the poppy grows.'
But why are the poppies red, Mummy,
Why are the poppies so red?'
'Red is the colour of blood, my child,
The blood our soldiers shed.'
'The heart of the poppy is black, Mummy,
Why does it have to be black?'
Black, my child, is the symbol of grief,
for the men who never came back.'
But why, Mummy, are you crying so?
Your tears are giving you pain,'
My tears are my fears for you my child,
for the world is - FORGETTING AGAIN'
I have other poems from this book with a miltary theme and will post them if people like them? Just let me know and thanks.
