For love of Country- A Remembrance Day Poem

 

For love of Country

For love of country

They gave their time

Their love and their lives

It took the best of families’ sons

And daughters who gave their all

Working overseas and in the wartime plants

Some left the country which they loved

                                           As soldiers they fought so bravely

                                           In foxholes and on fields they suffered 

                                           Giving so freely, for they sought to save

                                           Us from madmen who wanted all

                                           Countries to bow to them

                                           And their mistaken ideals

                                           They put aside misgivings and fought on

Their families suffered dearly

Without them by their sides                           

Missing time as children

Grew without a parent by their side

Parents had a hole in hearts

Where children should abide

When soldiers came to the door

To tell them of their loss

So we set aside a day in November

Every single year to remember

These brave souls who died for us

Fought for us, gave their time for us

But one day is not enough

For their sacrifice so dear

So we remember each day of the year

From the rising of the sun

Until the setting of the sun

We will remember

And celebrate their lives

And thank them for our freedom

That reigns because they fought for us.

©Sheilagh Lee November 9, 2013

Sacrifice

Three Word Wednesday-Sacrifice 

Prompts:   

Amplify, verb: Increase the volume of (sound), esp. using an amplifier; increase the amplitude of (an electrical signal or other oscillation); cause to become more marked or intense; enlarge upon or add detail to (a story or statement).

Criticize, verb: Indicate the faults of (someone or something) in a disapproving way.

Moan, noun: A long, low sound made by a person expressing physical or mental suffering or sexual pleasure; a complaint that is perceived as trivial and not taken seriously by others; verb: make a long, low sound expressing physical or mental suffering or sexual pleasure; (of a thing) make a sound resembling this.

       Recently a number of students at the University of Ottawa decided to wear a white poppy for Remembrance Day which takes place on November 11 each year. Traditional a red and with a green or black centred poppy has been worn since 1920 to commemorate soldiers who died and remember their sacrifice for their country. The Royal Canadian Legion in Canada takes funds from the sale of these lapel (red) poppies to...

.Assist any person (and their dependants) who is serving (or who has honourably served) in the Canadian Forces and are in need of assistance.

.Legion Veterans Transition Program (at UBC): a relief & recovery program for trauma-related stress from military service.

.Housing for homeless veterans, such as Cockrell House in Victoria

.Disaster relief when declared by governments.

At least now they are starting to realize the hurt they've caused and will not hand out white poppies at Remembrance ceremonies. I hope they now understand that red poppies are to remember the sacrifice and help veterans not glorify war.

       This is my response to those white poppy students.

Sacrifice

                                                        

The drumbeat sounds

 It echoes in their minds   

Amplified in time and space

Of carnage and blood, soiled ground

Their comrades’ lives’ spilled

They feel forgotten by today’s youth

Who talk of peace?

And moan of glorifying war

White poppies at their breasts.

And if they dare to speak

The men who fought so hard to

Gain that peace

They’re criticized and told that poppies

Red with a green or black centre

Denote celebrating war

Their ignorance does astound

Poppies are worn for remembrance

Of lives lost and sacrifice made

Not to glorify war

But to recall

How hard the forfeit

Those soldiers made

To honour

And remember the ones

Who brought our peace

So that we never forget their sacrifice.
Long may they be remembered

©Sheilagh Lee November 6, 2013