“Please wear a poppy”, the lady said,
And held one forth, but I shook my head
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;

But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on carefree feet.

His smile was full of joy and fun,
“Lady” said he “may I have one?”
When she pinned it on, he turned to say:
“Why do we wear a poppy to-day?”

The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered: “This is Remembrance Day,
“And the poppy there is a symbol for
The gallant men who died in the war. ”

“And because they did, you and I are free
That’s why we wear a poppy you see.
I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.

“He loved to play and jump and shout
Free as a bird, he would race about.
As the years went by, he learned and grew
And became a man – as you will too. ”