POPPY DAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 16 April 1929, Page 4

POPPY DAY

ON FRIDAY NEXT Poppy Day will be held in Nelson this year on Friday next, when arrangements similar to tho-se of previous years will he observed. The sale of flowers in the central portion of the city will be in charge of a ladies’ committee, the selling being from stalls to he established in convenient positions; whilst the schools have again kindly consented to conduct the sales in the residential areas. throughout the district the teachers and scholars have again shown a ready willingness to co-operate and the arrangements in the various centres are entirely in their hands. The moneys available from the effort will he utilised for the relief of unemployment during the winter months, and alleviation of genuine eases of distress among returned soldiers and dependents. “THE THIN RED LINE” ‘A great honour has been done the poppy. No longer is she the flower of the dreamy Persephone of the Greeks, but now she takes her place as first of all the flowers, for as St. Patrick watered the shamrock with his tears, and it became the flower of the country which lie loved, so did St. Tommy Atkins water the poppy with his blood and make it the symbol of the faith for which he died. So when Time lays her harsh fingers on our poor monuments of crumbling stone the poppy will still bloom above the graves m Flanders, and generations still to he will wear the bloom of memory when each anniversary morning breaks in what must always be ‘The Day’.” “Here is our greatest thin red line—the poppy path from Nieuport to Baupaume—the line that none can ever break, and that will ever stand between the best things in us and the violence outrage and brutality that made up the poor strength of the enemy.” The Poppy of Flanders lias been adopted practically throughout the Empire, and by the nations allied with us in the Great War, as the Memorial Flower. In Nelson Poppy Day is 19th April. THE CALL IN FLANDERS FIELD In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks stili bravely singing, fly Scarce hoard amid the guns below. We are ths Dead. Short days ago W e lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up o-ur quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be vo-urs to hold it high. If ye break faith with u.s who die, We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders helds. —John MeCrae.

Coionel John MeCrae was killed in action. His poem is published by courtesy of the Proprietors of “Punch,” owners of the copyright.