THE POPPY BASKET

IT SITS THERE FORLORNLY, UPON AN OFFICE CHAIR
IN EXPECTATION, OF THE POPPIES WE WILL WEAR
A SIMPLE CLOSING TRIBUTE, TINGED WITH MUCH REGRET
LORD BINYON’S CLOSING STATEMENT “LEST WE FORGET”

SEVENTY FIVE YEARS, A LIFETIME FOR SOME
BUT IT TOOK A WRETCHED TUMOUR FOR HIM TO SUCCUMB
NO MORE RAUCOUS LAUGHTER, WILL ECHO ACROSS THE BAR
NOW JUST A MEMORY, SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR

WE KNOW IT WONT BE LONG, BEFORE WE GATHER HERE AGAIN
THE LEGACY OF THE SOLDIER, THE BAYONET AND THE PEN
WE ARE ALL THE VICTIMS, OF MANKIND’S TRAGIC FOLLY
REMEMBERING THE DAYS, WHEN TIMES WERE NOT SO JOLLY

THE MARCHING BOOTS ARE SILENT, A BUGLER’S MUTE TRIBUTE
THE TRAVESTY OF MANKIND IS NEVER IN DISPUTE
IT SEEMED LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY WHEN THEY MARCHED OFF TO WAR
LITTLE DID THEY REALISE, WHAT THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR

SOON IT WILL BE TIME, FOR US TO LEAVE THE SCENE
REMEMBERING THE PAST AND HOW THINGS MIGHT HAVE BEEN
WE EACH LAY A POPPY, UPON A POLISHED CASKET
SIMPLE CLOSING WORDS, THEN REFILL THE BASKET

 

By Tomas ‘Paddy’ Hamilton

 

FILE PHOTO: Corporal Jagroop Mangat sells poppies and collects donations for Legacy in Perth’s Hay Street Mall. Photo by Leading Seaman Bradley Darvill.

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