poppies

today we remember those who fell and are falling at the hands of war.

and i was suddenly reminded of a song that my dad taught me and which we used to sing, normally walking hand in hand along some leafy green river side, or heather soaked fen. it may seem like a strange song for a father to teach a daughter, but it obviously meant something to him, and i loved it, the poignancy and the point. i guess it taught me that war is never glorious, even when we might believe it must be engaged in for the greater good.

no, i'm not a pacifist, not consistently anyway, but i think i would like to be.

i found that old song on youtube (you can find everything on youtube) and the graphics which accompany it seem cuttingly to the point and say more than i can ever say about where we are today, with regards war and violence as a human global community.

so this is a tribute to you 'willy mcbride' and all those voiceless millions who have died, soldier and civilian, at the hands of our violence.

and i can't help but wonder now, willy mcbride
do all those who lie here, know why they died?
did you really believe them when they told you the cause?
did you really believe that this war would end wars?
well the suff'rin', the sorrow, the glory, the shame
the killin', an' dyin', it was all done in vain
oh willy mcbride, it all happened again
and again, and again, and again, and again