A Penny for a Poppy
Written by Kelly Ann Wilson

An old man wakes up tired
He has nightmares instead of dreams
He feels the age-old aches and pains
Like he was 21 again

He keeps his hair to army standards
There are some habits you don’t forget
He presses his uniform just right
And pins medals to his chest

He sets up the box full of red flowers
And sits down to wait
For someone who remembers
The sacrifice he made

A young boy shyly looks his way
And stumbles over to the veteran
He has a penny for a poppy
It’s time to pass the torch to him

The boy quickly runs and skips away
To look at bikes and soccer balls
His mom sticks the poppy to his shirt
And they rush out to the car

This school day isn’t quite like the others
They all gather in the gym
The teacher reads a poem
About a poppy just like his

At the end of the day, it’s time for bed
He puts on his pajamas and brushes his teeth
How quickly a child drifts off to sleep
In a land where he is safe and free

Written April 23, 2023
© 2023 Kelly Ann Wilson