Tomorrow we will make our way again to the cenotaph where we will pause in the busyness of our lives to remember. What we remember is the devastation that war has and continues to bring upon the world. We remember the men and women who selflessly laid down their lives in a hope that future generations would not have to and in the dream that justice and freedom would one day reign.
This past week I read a piece that was written by great-nephew who is 12 years old about wearing a poppy on Remembrance day. It is amazing !!! I asked him if I could share it with you and he agreed. So as you prepare to gather tomorrow I give you his words for thought.
Remember with a Poppy
By Jackson Barrett
Wear a poppy on Remembrance Day
Remember the soldiers who died away
Bloody, wounded, in the trenches
Breathing in unbearable stenches
Rats crawling over a special friend
A broken heart, impossible to mend
Savouring breaths which could be your last
Gunshot, bombs and poisonous gas
Dodging mines, under barbed wire,
The ear-shattering sound of enemy fire
Soldiers falling everywhere
This feeling of sadness in the air
In the soldiers minds they see
An image of Canada, strong and free
Take up the torch and hold it high
Honour the spirits of those who died
In Flanders Fields the soldiers lay
Take a minute to stop and praySo wear a poppy on the 11th hour
Honour them with a bright red flower
Blessings
Valerie
© 2017 Rev. Valerie Peyton Kingsbury. All rights reserved
Thanks for this. I was planning to talk about the poppy with the kids tomorrow in church and hand out poppy stickers and read the poem In Flanders Fields. Your nephew’s poem has a lot more punch. With your permission I would share it with my kids. If that’s a yes send it to my email below.
Valerie what a talented young boy to write such a moving poem. This is awesome work!! Lorraine