Creativity, Writing
Helz
The Poppy
On 9th November 1918, a lady called Moina Michael wrote a poem called ‘We Shall Keep the Faith’, which was inspired by John McCrae’s poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. In the aftermath of the First World War, poppies were the only things to grow in the mud of the battlefields, amidst the craters and holes left by the fighting and shelling. The red petals remind us of the blood spilled and the sacrifices made. Moina decided to always wear a red poppy as a symbol of remembrance for those who served in the war.
She became known as the ‘Poppy Lady’ after encouraging other people to wear the flowers in remembrance. Because of Moina, in 1921, the poppy was adopted as a symbol of remembrance across the world, and the sale of poppies has raised millions of dollars to provide financial help to those in the Armed Forces community.
War is a very painful, hurtful thing and it is not the picture that God has for the world, and this is why we pray for peace.
The dark centre of a poppy is where the seeds are stored — the hope of new life. We can help to bring about this new life — this vision of peace that God has. Remembrance Day isn’t just about remembering things from a long time ago, but understanding that this is something that we can be involved in now.
How can we help to bring peace?
We pray for all who are angry
Bring them peace
We pray for all who are jealous
Bring them peace
We pray for all who are greedy
Bring them peace
We pray for all who hate
Bring them peace
We pray for all who are afraid
Bring them peace
Amen
and then