The Poppy Factory - a Remembrance Day story

October 15th, 2021, Richmond, London, England. I've gotta say, it's getting busy now we're in the run-up to November 11th - but I'd have anything rather than being back in the army.

I make poppies. A lot of them. Probably around a hundred a day. And it's really not as complicated as it might sound.

First we import truckloads of plastic green stems. The paper leaves and petals are all cut by machines, but once one of them stopped working and Mark and I had to cut them by hand for the whole day. By hand! I'm glad they got the machine working for the next day.

Then all we have to do (unless if the machine is broken) is to arrange it and then pin it all together with a plastic button. Yes, really. Apart from loading red and green paper into the machines, that's all.

But it's still important. And my favourite part is when the poppies are packed into boxes - with a label saying who made the poppies. It gives me a good feeling looking at that label saying "R. Moore", knowing that I made those paper poppies, lest we forget.

What are you going to do lest we forget? I hope you liked this (very short) story and remember to wear your poppy with pride! Share your thoughts on it and if you like you can write a backstory for R. Moore!

Thank you for doing this. It's an important thing to be doing.

a reply to: Moonstar7

SOmething that always comes to mind with this topic:

They disembarked in 45
And no-one spoke and no-one smiled
There were to many spaces in the line.
Gathered at the cenotaph
All agreed with the hand on heart
To sheath the sacrificial Knifes.
But now
She stands upon Southampton dock
With her handkerchief
And her summer frock clings
To her wet body in the rain.
In quiet desperation knuckles
White upon the slippery reins
She bravely waves the boys Goodbye again.
And still the dark stain spreads between
His shoulder blades.
A mute reminder of the poppy fields and graves.
And when the fight was over
We spent what they had made.
But in the bottom of our hearts
We felt the final cut.

Southampton Dock -Roger Waters

I've always wondered...

Why were there so many poppies growing in Flanders fields? Of course poppies contain opium. Is it a coincidence that the soldiers were fighting in poppy fields? It wouldn't be the first (or last) war over opium.

a reply to: joejack1949
I honestly don't know... But I DO know that poppy seeds can stay dormant in the ground for ages and they only grow when they get disturbed - if a huge battle with tanks and blazing guns isn't enough to disturb them I don't know what is.

And China had to give an entire city to Britain over opium.

a reply to: network dude
And we can't forget the iconic "In Flanders Fields" of course...

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

originally posted by: joejack1949
I've always wondered...

Why were there so many poppies growing in Flanders fields? Of course poppies contain opium. Is it a coincidence that the soldiers were fighting in poppy fields? It wouldn't be the first (or last) war over opium.

Poppies have been associated with dead soldiers for centuries, I think even Homer mentions them.

As Moonstar said, their seeds easily germinate in freshly turned soil, and nothing turns soil like a few tons of high explosive!

a reply to: Moonstar7
A big thank you to R. Moore
My 8yr old Daughter has a poppy keyring on her trouser belt loop, she got it from school. I asked if she knew what it meant and to my surprise she did. Told me about war, sacrifice and fighting for your country.
Nice to see this still taught in schools.

originally posted by: joejack1949
I've always wondered...

Why were there so many poppies growing in Flanders fields? Of course poppies contain opium. Is it a coincidence that the soldiers were fighting in poppy fields? It wouldn't be the first (or last) war over opium.

Look up the East India Company owned by the british monarchs. Lots of wars and acquisitions over opium poppies.

Cheers - Dave