It’s Poppy Day

We commemorate the bloodshed 

Tides of crimson petals 

A nod to the many dead

100 years

Since the First World War

And what have we learnt?

What was it all for?

For we did it all again
In 1939

And I see no glory in either 

Just a massive waste of life 

War is not the answer

I believe in peace

Sending innocent people off to die

Should be a crime I feel

How can murder

be justified?

And on such an enormous scale?

Where is the honour in that?

For me words almost fail

If we refuse to be used in this way

Refuse to pick up arms 

Who would fight the politician’s wars?

Who would come to harm?

Surely if we stand together

The many would outnumber the few

We shouldn’t be made to fight

If we don’t want to

My heart goes out to the fallen

And, yes, we should remember their names

For they paid the ultimate price

For being lured into someone else’s sick game

But I will not wear a poppy

The symbol of a bullet wound

I do not wish to appear as if shot 

Blood gushing as I meet my doom

I cannot abide violence

In any shape or form

So I choose not to wear this flower on this day

Or a hypocrite I’d become.