Posted on 05/30/2005 8:15:09 AM PDT by SandRat
On a weekend when many Tucsonans are camping in the mountains or partying at poolside, Dan Hawkins has been standing outside a supermarket in 100-degree heat, clutching a fistful of memories that seem to grow dimmer each year.
There was a time when passers-by eagerly scooped up the scarlet Buddy Poppies Hawkins has peddled each Memorial Day weekend since 1987.
Nowadays, there are far fewer takers for the bright red flowers that recall America's fallen troops.
"It used to be a big thing," said Hawkins, 72, a Vietnam veteran and leader of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7399.
"Pretty much everybody knew what it was about when
(Excerpt) Read more at dailystar.com ...
Got mine but they are getting harder and harder to find.
Ask your local VFW or American Legion and if enough other folks start asking they'll come back.
Unfortunately its meaning has become more of an anti-war symbol, as Canadians very rarely read the last verse and Ottawa has "dropped the torch".
I got one in November, too. We should have them on the 4th of July, as well.
I'm not eligible to join either organization but I will ask them if I can volunteer next year. Maybe it is time to start a fund raising campaign to print up flyers that explain the significance - or we could ask the schools to teach, er .. sorry, I lost my mind there for a moment.
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE WEAR A POPPY
"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 care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"
When she'd pinned it on he turned to say,
"Why do we wear a poppy today?"
The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in 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."
"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he'd seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,
I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry."
"But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire."
"Till at last, at last, the war was won -
And that's why we wear a poppy son."
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son - did he come back all right?"
A tear rolled down each faded check;
She shook her head, but didn't speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you'd have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Thought our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!
And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace might live.
Then wear a poppy! Remember - and give!
by Don Crawford
Come to think of it, I didn't see anyone out selling them in my neck of the woods this year.
I see yours says "assembled by disabled veterans" ... I'm glad to see that since mine doesn't carry that message and I thought that program might have ended.
I don't know where you buy them in the DC area; I've looked for years to find one to proudly wear and there doesn't seem to be anyone peddling them on the streets anymore. BTW, many folks wear them in England on Veteran's (Armistice) Day.
Why did you use the blurry font on your post? Oh, I see the problem is local :) Thanks for posting those poems.
Thanks for the alert--everyone who is bothered by this should send them an e-mail. http://www.google.com/contact/
I got it off their website, but yes, mine does have that tag. I think the reason few are being sold is that the younger vets aren't as big into the VFW as the older guys. All the salesmen are dying off.
Maybe something for the DC chapter to spearhead? Just a thought.
Both my sister and I each had the honor of being "Miss Poppy" for our AL Junior Auxiliary unit. In our respective years, we each led the Memorial Day parade to the top of the South River bridge to drop a poppy wreath off while someone played "Taps". Then we'd spend the rest of the day selling poppies at the local grocery store.
I visited the Somme Battlefield in Northern France a few years ago and endless fields of poppies were in full bloom next to the soldiers cemetaries and memorials. Their beautiful lives symbolically spring to life every year.
Author Unknown
Thanks for the link to Google. I will keep that handy.
I just sent them this:
"Hey! Wouldn't it be nice to have a Memorial Day commemoration on your "Google" logo just like you do for so many other days? How about an American flag? If you hurry, you can get it up before it is too late. Remember the 4th of July, too. A flag, not just firecrackers."
:')
Your welcome NVA.
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