Saturday, November 9, 2013

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

Wednesday, November 6, 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