What does Remembrance mean to you?
Ahead of Remembrance, the charity Never Such Innocence have invited children across the country to express their thoughts and feelings on Remembrance via poetry.
Every year, the nation comes together to mark Remembrance. Sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen stand alongside the public, including children, to remember all the brave men and women that came before them.
The charity Never Such Innocence is an international project that works with young people to enable them to share their thoughts and feelings on conflict and its impact on the world through the mediums of poetry, art, speech and song.
In the selection of poems below, children reflect on Remembrance and the significance of the Poppy.
Thank you by Anastasia Basta
To those who fought with allies
To those who felt alone
To those who lost their lives
To those who came back home
To those who suffered for freedom
To those of early youth
To those who left a widow
To those who nursed the dreadful wounds
To those iron birds, high in the sky
To those working hands that stayed behind
To all those souls, full of valour
A great “THANK YOU”
in poppy’s pure red colour.
When the War is Over by Daisy Powell
When the war is over,
The earth shall fall to sleep.
Dreaming of long forgotten ground,
Still ringing with retreat.
When the war is over,
The flag of white will fall,
Painting the graves with hope and peace
Where poppies now stand tall.
The Poppy By Becki Pinkerton
Under the ground of the battlefield I grow,
I symbolise the memory of fallen heroes from long ago
I am an emblem for all to show
Their respect to so many whom they did not know.
I am a common field poppy — Papaver rhoeas
An elegant wildflower, distinctive and red
I’m the only one to grow in barren battlefields
I’m a comforting blanket, for our heroes alas dead.
in 1918 Monia Michael created me in silk
That I could be an emblem to last and not wilt
And in the UK 11th November 1921
I became the flower on which Remembrance Day was built.
That was such a long time ago
Yet each year I am out there on show
Representing men, women, and animals
Who gave their lives for the peace we now know.
So perhaps this year on Remembrance Sunday
You could give a little place
On the Jacket, or jumper you’re wearing
I won’t take up very much space
Would you wear me with pride as you remember?
Yes I’m the red leaf, black centre and green stem
I represent the sacrifice of ordinary people
Caught up in wars not created by them.
I have no religious conviction
I just happened to grow where many fell
So will you help me to say. ‘We will remember them’
And their stories to our children tell.
As part of their work, Never Such Innocence are running a project called ‘Voice of Armed Forces Children’ inviting service children to reflect on their experiences as a brother, sister, daughter or son of someone that serves in the Armed Forces.
‘Me Brother Dan’ by Molly Meleady-Hanley
(Written in the Sheffield Dialect)
“Me Brother Dan”
Me brother Dan went off to war, marching down Duke Street with his Pals.
Heads held high, while the Sheffield crowd clapped and cheered them so!
Me Mam wept and me Dad said:-
“ Gi’ore Molly. Be proud. Be happy for our lad. He’s serving his King and Country in a just war”.
Six Weeks later, we got a fancy Can Can card from our Dan
Reet chuffed we were. Dad read it out , puffed up chest, loud and clear.
Dad said, Dan was doing well and our Dan wished us all good cheer.
Tucking card in’t pocket, he went off down road to get hisen a beer.
Ten weeks later, on Skye Edge Fields, a neighbour came calling us from play.
Saying :- “ Come quick Lizzie, yer Mam needs yer- reet away”
Opening our door, on Talbot Row, we heard Banshee screaming
Our Mam, paper crumpled on’t floor, sobbing and rocking, hands to heaven.
“Why did he have to die? Me son, me son, me only son!” she cried.
Dan’s body never came home.
He lies without us, in some distant land.
In a place me Mam will never be able to go.
And so she trudges every day to Norfolk Row.
Saying prayers and lighting holy candles for our Dan and other mother’s sons.
These other boys whose lives too, will never grow.
And me, well…I keep asking mesen
“ Why do they kill caterpillars and then complain that there are no butterflies?”
Me Dad said:- “ Listen up our Lizzie. Them there caterpillars and butterflies have
died to keep us all safe and free
You’ll learn that one day me love, when you’re wise from being worn with care.
Until then me Liz, be proud and thankful for the sacrifice our Dan and is Pals made for thee.
Find out more about the Never Such Innocence Voice of Armed Forces Children project: https://www.neversuchinnocence.com/voices-of-armed-forces-children
