Poppies

 

THE POPPIES THAT LITTERED THE BATTLEFIELD

WERE BROUGHT ON BY THE LITTER OF WAR

FOR POPPIES ONLY GROW ON BROKEN SOIL

WHETHER BY PLOW OR BOMBARDMENT

THE POPPY DOESN'T CARE

IT GROWS IN BROKEN SOIL

AND THE POPPIES STILL GROW IN BROKEN SOIL

BECAUSE OUR PROMISES

MADE TO THESE OUR DEAD

OUR HONORED DEAD

HAVE NOT BEEN KEPT

WE SAID THE WORLD WOULD BE BETTER

BECAUSE OF THEIR DEATH

THEIR SACRIFICE

BUT UNLIKE CHRIST

THEIR DEATH DID NOT BRING RESURRECTION

SO TO THESE DEAD

THESE HONORED DEAD

WE RECOMMIT OURSELVES

THAT THE WORLD AND COUNTRY

THEY DIED FOR

WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE

THAT PEACE AND LOVE

WOULD HAVE NO NATIONAL BOUNDARIES

THAT FOOD AND HAPPINESS

WOULD NOT BE FOR THE FEW

BUT THE MANY

THAT THE DREAMS THEY DIED FOR

WOULD COME TRUE

THAT MEN WOULD TURN SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES

AND SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS

THAT THE LAMB AND THE LION WOULD LIE DOWN TOGETHER

THAT THERE WOULD BE A NEW RESURRECTION

THAT HEARTS WOULD BE BROKEN OPEN BY LOVE

AND GROWING IN THAT BROKEN-NESS

POPPIES WOULD LITTER THE LANDSCAPE

SLEEP WELL HONORED DEAD

WE WILL REMEMBER OUR PROMISES

FRANK A VOLLMER