Silent
and quiet
are the memorials
for our wars.
Silence and quiet
are the moments we remember,
That we take our time to respect the fallen.
So you say you do not want to wear a poppy?
because you are against war,
because you are not willing to remember certain fallen ones,
Because you think it is the same as wearing pink for breast cancer and
red for AIDS and, because politically it just does not ‘mesh’ with your ideals?
Well remember this… It is not about ONE war. It is about many.
That you benefit from the sacrifices of the people, who fought for a country.
Your country. That it is up to us to remember it is our culture, which was saved.
It was our way of life that was being fought for. So your ‘modern’ or ‘political'
and quiet
are the memorials
for our wars.
Silence and quiet
are the moments we remember,
That we take our time to respect the fallen.
So you say you do not want to wear a poppy?
because you are against war,
because you are not willing to remember certain fallen ones,
Because you think it is the same as wearing pink for breast cancer and
red for AIDS and, because politically it just does not ‘mesh’ with your ideals?
Well remember this… It is not about ONE war. It is about many.
That you benefit from the sacrifices of the people, who fought for a country.
Your country. That it is up to us to remember it is our culture, which was saved.
It was our way of life that was being fought for. So your ‘modern’ or ‘political'
reservations are selfish….
and removed. It is quite safe to play with your ideas – but how about guns?
It becomes easy to forget war realities within the confines of our homes
and in our postmodern lives. But, if you have ever found a bit of happiness
in your current conditions, YOU, have someone to thank for that.
It is our fortunate generation who knows nothing of war, like those of the past.
And from home you can feel the distance of the muddy trenches and city warfare
that destroyed cities, culture, and lives.
But it is not for us to dismiss these events from our place in history.
It is up to us to take up the famous imaginary torch and remember.
Whether it be to prevent something like that from happening again,
or to be thankful. It should never be easy to forget.
So, even if you have your fickle post-modern ideas.
Shut up and pin up. Quietly stand up,
for those who no longer can.
For those who were left incomplete
Emotionally or physically.
For the families
Torn apart and
the loves lost.
It was not stupid
or worthless.
Through your legacy. We will not let your contributions to our lives fade.
We will bring them back with our silent and quiet crimson flowers.
Loud and proud those red poppies will be.
So modern people
wipe the smug
grin from your face
and the debates
from your lips
because sometimes
it is right to be silent and quiet.
grin from your face
and the debates
from your lips
because sometimes
it is right to be silent and quiet.
For the voices who are forever absent from our discussion.
