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Here in Canada, we call "Veterans Day" "Remembrance Day". Remembrance Day is a time to remember the soldiers who died for us to make peace, so we could live today. My school is doing a Remembrance Day assembly, which my class is involved in. If no one remembered this day, and forgot about it, what would the world be like? If the wars didn't happen would we be here today? This is Nateenka, signing in.
Remembrance Day is a day to remember the men and women who fought in the war, who wished that they could come home, to see there families again. Since Remembrance Day is on the 11th of November, schools around Canada, maybe even around the world, are taking part in remembering the peace we have today. Our school is doing an annual assembly for this day. My class is the one organizing everything. We are making poems, reflections, crosses, doves and the most thoughtful thing, the poppy.
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The Poppy
Arriving at the local church and thinking I was late
I realized I had two hours, so I sat down to wait.
A hot and sunny afternoon, I simmered in the heat,
then a teenage girl appeared and sat down on the seat.
I saw she clutched a poppy and asked who was it for,
she said it's for a man she knew, who'd always lived next door.
It seemed he'd outlived all his friends and no children had he borne
and she asked me if I'd join her, when she went inside to mourn.
Of course I would be glad to, was my instant reply,
and when the hearse at last arrived, we took ourselves inside.
Quietly the vicar stood, his head bowed down in prayer
and it was then I realized, there was just us two there.
The vicar then began, to recount Billy's story.
It seemed he joined the Navy young, In search of fame and glory.
So very soon he found himself, away across the sea
as a gunner on a Frigate, and none as fine as he.
Because he served his country well, in different zones of war
he soon got many medals and all with pride he wore.
Dunquirke saw his finest hour, he gave it all he'd got,
you couldn't touch his gun all day, the barrels were so hot.
Then in the North Atlantic one dark and stormy night,
his ship took two torpedoes, from a U-boat out of sight
Adrift in the ships lifeboat, the RN came to save
our Billy and his shipmates, snatched from a watery grave.
Safe aboard the corvette, and suffering from shock
he slipped in and out of consciousness, they thought he'd had his lot
Then when at last he did come round and sat up in the bed
the doc he had to tell him, that he'd lost both his legs.
Billy wasn't bitter, and never lost his nerve
soon he learnt to walk again, and then returned to serve.
Off he went to sea once more, and joining in the fight
was wounded off the Brittany coast, but this time lost his sight.
Returning home to blighty, he made himself a home
but after all he'd been through, he had no wish to roam.
A cottage on the foreshore now, was where he longed to be,
to live his life amongst his friends, near his first love, the sea.
So now as Billy's laid to rest, his coffin is adorned
with one red poppy laid on top, a hero sadly mourned.
And though a tear came to my eye, I could so plainly see,
what Billy gave, for the land he loved
and what Billy gave ... for me.
-Poem by Sam Sanderson |
The poppy is the symbol of remembrance. It symbols the fallen soldiers, in the war. It sometimes is considered as a peace symbol. The poppy is the most common thing to wear on Remembrance Day. You wear it on the left side of you, near your heart. This all started by John McCrae. He was a poet, and he wrote "In Flanders Fields".
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In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
-Poem by John McCrae |
That was the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae. This is actually one of the most popular poems in the world. Without this poem, we wouldn't be celebrating Remembrance Day the same way. This is a poem that touches peoples hearts, I love this poem, it is my favorite. We will be announcing it in my school on this Thursday at the assembly. I hope you have heard of this poem before, if you have not, here it is.
Remember to celebrate this day, give thanks to all the men and women who fought in the war. Remember the peace they gave us, remember the souls that were lost. Remember the 11th, remember to wear the poppy. Keep these thoughts in your mind, because it only comes once a year, and it will never happen again. Flanders Fields is were the poppies grow.
Bye. This is Nateenka, signing off. Remember...
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