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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
, s+ l, w/ }# p8 k$ e' Z( g And held one forth, but I shook my head ! _& }# p9 b' }( Z3 ?- T$ r
Then I stopped and watched, to see how shed fare . p% r+ X- E D& x+ l4 {5 W% F
Her face was old, and lined with care,
3 v: s$ h' p8 U$ O! ^Yet beneath the scars, the years had made " t- Z/ A/ v# p4 W" c3 `/ C
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
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2 m0 c/ g' A; p, z/ s4 ^A boy came whistling down the street 9 l# Y. _* J) m1 v0 T- N
Bounding along on his carefree feet 2 V7 f, {6 K- Q( _* L/ x W
His smile was full of joy and fun
& w9 \ y2 @- u. ?9 z) | “Lady” he said, “can I have one?
- P, p2 S2 L! vAs she pinned it on I heard him say
7 l' [3 ~, N! u9 Q/ F, W% O' d“Why do we wear the poppy today?” 0 n4 j9 i- e$ b5 d
The lady smiled in her wistful way 5 ^" N9 |6 S L" O/ I+ h& X& a D) n0 t
And answered “this is remembrance day” / T7 N" i% j" p3 T
% K/ K" K! C* h5 e$ Z“The poppy is the symbol for the, , u, e: D9 Y) [ u& O
The gallant men and women who died in the war”.9 k% C$ T. H7 _7 w8 w/ m* W
“And because they did we are free, that’s why we wear the poppy you see” & n D2 X$ M9 c m( _
; i* |; ?5 _" b+ j6 x& a, ?7 s8 c“I had a boy about your size, with golden hair and big blue eyes,
- o; g* }& x. aHe loved to play and jump and shout, free as a bird he would race about” ' M2 p0 {/ w, N6 g5 O7 p
As the years went by he learnt and grew, and became a man as you will to”,
/ P' o! U$ A2 [4 j' s& ZHe was fine and strong with a boyish smile, 5 c9 F, ?, U# g1 s, t" a
But he seemed to be with us a such a short while
n/ R* b M, m8 KWhen the War broke out he went away + o# z X# f* ]3 [ W
I can still remember his face that day / z3 g) Y1 `+ C# w, }
When he smiled at me and said goodbye
2 F, _) J e# u/ W( C4 Z2 H“I will be back soon, so please don’t cry”
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But the War went on and he had to stay d5 l( o- N9 t( G/ l7 m+ K" I$ h: q
All I could do was wait and pray 2 g, i6 ?$ }2 i0 @. C/ Q. h% Q* n8 u; _
His letters told of an awful fight . |) @$ b; G! G+ N, v0 y$ j. f4 B
I can see it still in my dreams at night x: V3 S) o+ M# B4 ^! c: [
With the tanks and guns and the cruel barb wire
3 q- `5 {- ~) i7 q6 Y/ vAnd the mines and bullets, the bombs and the fire ; l/ e. g( _0 `" M: G
Until at last the War was won $ {7 Y4 [, n% |, `1 ]5 Q' i) Q
And that is why we wear the poppy son " O# W8 E2 i/ H; e: s* f
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The small boy turned as if to go + k# K; r" L$ h
Then stopped and said “Thank you lady, I’m glad I know”
" A- N- M: z+ U# z9 j6 uThat sure did sound like an awful fight
; w9 S" ]% g* X7 z' `9 h2 p2 l, b4 c “But your son, did he come home all right”? Y! s+ [0 [: U
A tear rolled down each faded cheek, she shook her head
7 g1 S# a- T& Z' U+ uBut didn’t speak.
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I slunk away, head bowed in shame,
$ w: ?( |' C% S$ jAnd if you were me, you’d have done the same,
% m/ M6 N& } ^For our thanks in giving is often delayed 9 e1 r6 @. B, W" s
Though our freedom was bought by the legions who paid.
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0 h- a1 H& T- u5 UAnd so, when you see a poppy worn - {- @1 b. n: s4 m9 n0 [* c
Let us reflect on the burden borne
* A, t, z9 z; Z. m9 m0 D3 P, WBy those who gave their precious all ( o" b0 T4 B; |7 b* K7 h, }
When asked to answer their countries call 1 a+ t8 P" Z0 r$ |7 V* \3 U
That we at home, in peace may live
2 u2 \/ }( N+ H- H& x& S9 Y# ~Then wear a poppy, remember, and give. |
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