Poppies

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