First of all I want to wish everybody Happy Easter! I hope you had a lovely time with your loved ones. Today, while I was in my facebook account, I saw a post by a friend of mine, Rosie Bennett – thank you Rosie! It was about the ANZAC day. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and is commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed and fought at Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey early in the morning of the 25th of April 1915 during the First World War.

The death of thousands young men – 8500 Australians and 2721 New Zealanders – in Gallipoli marked the history of both countries. Though the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Istanbul and knocking the Ottoman Empire out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand troops’ actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an “Anzac legend” became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This has shaped the way their citizens have viewed both their past and their understanding of the present. Therefore, the Anzac Day is one of the most important national occasions of both Australia and New Zealand.

This is the poem my friend Rosie Bennett posted today in facebook. Rosie wrote that its author is unknown. After a short surfing in the internet I found out that it, in its original and correct form, was written by John F. Willcocks (1918-2007). Maybe he was thinking of his father, when he composed it, as he was only 9 months old, when his father died as a result of being gassed on the battle of Somme in France in 1916.

The inquisitive mind of a child

Why are they selling poppies, Mummy?
Selling poppies in town today.
The poppies, child, are flowers of love.
For the men who marched away.

But why have they chosen a poppy, Mummy?
Why not a beautiful rose?
Because my child, men fought and died
In the fields where the poppies grow.

But why are the poppies so red, Mummy?
Why are the poppies so red?
Red is the colour of blood, my child.
The blood that our soldiers shed.

The heart of the poppy is black, Mummy.
Why does it have to be black?
Black, my child, is the symbol of grief.
For the men who never came back.

But why, Mummy are you crying so?
Your tears are giving you pain.
My tears are my fears for you my child.
For the world is forgetting again.

Let us thank all those brave people who fought for our freedom and lest we forget. Let us pray for inner and world peace.

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Sources: Wikipedia, Australian War Memorial, New Zealand History Online, Anzac Day