Poppy

A child asked me ‘Why?
Why wear this flower
Of times gone by
Its over isn’t it?
Why should we care
For it’s not out problem
Here or there
Its over! Its over!

My eyes grew misty
I tried not to cry
For I realised patriotism had died
And I had to raise it from the dead
Ensure this child heard what I said

‘This flower is red
As the blood that was lost
In the field of Flanders
Where they paid the cost
To enable you to say today
Why us
Why me
Who cares anyway?
Many soldiers have done the same
To enable you to maintain
You’re right to be
Whatever your heart or soul decrees
Not a mad dictator
Or a book of rules
But passion and love
Not the words of fools
Blood has been sacrificed you see
To enable true democracy
The air you breathe
The words you say
Are all because people did bequeath
Their lives to ensure your future see
And as a wise man said to me
Freedom is never free