©2015 Susan Noyes Anderson
The parched soil drinks their holy blood.
They lay their bodies down like wine:
last dregs of fleeing innocence,
surrendered on the sacred vine.
With colors flying in the breeze,
stout poppies stand in full array.
Brined roots draw horror from the ground,
releasing it to light of day.
The horror and the loss, the loss.
Destruction never counts the cost.
Freedom remains an aching need.
The soul and body bleed. They bleed.
∞§∞
On this and every Veteran's Day, my heart is filled with gratitude for
all who have placed themselves in harm's way to serve the cause of freedom.
The origin of the red Flanders poppy as a modern-day symbol of remembrance
was the inspiration of an American woman, Miss Moina Michael.
for more magpies, click below
Tears...I hesitate to say good describing such verses of sadness.
ReplyDeleteThe great war was the end of the nation state , and we have fought numerous big and small wars since over which totalitarian ideology will hold sway ....
ReplyDeleteI have been reading about WW1 recently .. horrific and so much the public never knew about the barbarism. I watched our Veteran's Day parade today with tears in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful...a huge thanks and love to all who serve and have served this wonderful country that I'm so proud and blessed to live in. Thanks Sue.
ReplyDeleteJust lovely as always! The photo is so beautiful too. My Grandfather was killed over in France in the trenches during World War I; so I really related to this one. Blessings and hugs for your spectacular talent of writing poetry.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sue, this line: "The soul and body bleed. They bleed."
ReplyDeletePretty much says it all!