Poppy’s not just a flower
Thu, November 10, 2011
- 12:00 AM
PREMIER LEAGUE footballers sported poppies stitched on to their
shirts while playing last weekend, but there will be no such gesture when
England take on Spain at Wembley on Saturday, the day before Remembrance
Sunday.
A FIFA edict says wearing them
would break the rules about displaying political symbols, prompting the British
Sports Minister, Hugh Robertson, to write a letter of complaint.
But the practice of wearing a
poppy at this time of year is not solely a British one. Indeed, the adoption of
the poppy had a very international birth.
In November 1918, a poem by
Canadian military doctor John McCrae inspired American humanitarian Moina
Michael to wear and distribute poppies in honor of fallen soldiers.
In Flanders Fields the first
sign of life after death was described – small red plants that grew on the
graves of soldiers buried in northern France and Belgium during World War I.
Two days before the armistice
agreement was signed, Michael bought and then pinned a red poppy to her coat.
She gave other poppies out to ex-servicemen at the YMCA headquarters in New
York where she worked.
The poppy was officially
adopted by the American Legion at a conference two years later. At the same
conference, a French woman named Madame E. Guerin saw an opportunity for
orphans and widows to raise money in France by selling the poppies.
Since then, they have become
an international symbol of remembering fallen soldiers, especially in
Commonwealth countries.
The Royal British Legion,
which adopted the poppy in 1921, distributed 45 million in 2010 in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland.
This year, it hopes to raise
£40m (BDS$128m) in donations, which will be used to assist retired or injured
soldiers.
Three million poppies are sent
to 120 countries outside Britain, says Nick Buckley, head of the legion’s Poppy
Appeal.
These are mostly for British
expats living in countries such as Spain, Germany and France, he says. But the
poppies, which are made in a factory in London and sent to British embassies in
countries as varied as Argentina, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka, are sometimes used
by the local community as well.
In Scotland, about five million poppies are
distributed each year by Poppyscotland, but they look slightly different.
Unlike the standard two petals and a single green leaf, the Scottish ones have
four petals and no leaf.
The Scottish poppy pin “is botanically correct”, says Leigh James,
spokeswoman for Poppyscotland. There’s also a financial reason for the
difference – adding a leaf would cost an extra £15 000 (BDS$48 000) a year.
South Africa has seen a recent
boom in the popularity of poppies, says Mariette Venter, national secretary at
the South Africa Legion. “The poppy pin is now taking root here,” she says.
After a recent visit from
Prince Charles, who wore a poppy on his lapel, the legion saw a spike in phone
calls from people asking where they could get one. The legion in South Africa
had 300 000 poppies shipped from England’s poppy factory this year, along with
50 wreaths.
Venter says she also sent 200
poppies to Malawi for use in ceremonies there.
Canada is distributing 18
million poppies for Remembrance Day this year, says Bob Butt of the Royal
Canadian Legion. Canadian poppies, which are made in Toronto, have four petals
with a black centre and no leaf – like Scotland’s.
In the United States, the
sight of them has diminished around the armistice anniversary.
November 11 is known as
Veterans Day, when a more common adornment on the lapel is a red, white and
blue ribbon. But there are some poppies laid and worn for Memorial Day in May,
in parts of the United Sates.
The poppy has been a divisive
issue in Ireland, particularly Northern Ireland, where it is regarded by many
Republicans as a mark of loyalty to the British Crown.
One of the blackest days in
the troubles saw the IRA bombing a Remembrance Day ceremony in Enniskillen,
when 11 people were killed and more than 60 injured.
In France, the blue
cornflower, “le bluet” is also worn, but not as widely as the poppy in the
Britain. (BBC)
Vocabulary
|
Pronunciation
|
Meaning
|
stitched[ADJ]
|
|
fastened
with stitches
|
gesture[VI]
|
|
แสดงท่าทาง
motion
of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling
|
Remembrance[N]
|
|
ความทรงจำ
the
ability to recall past occurrences
|
edict[N]
|
|
คำสั่ง
a
formal or authoritative proclamation
|
prompting[VT]
|
|
เตือนความจำ
persuasion
formulated as a suggestion
|
complaint[N]
|
|
ความไม่พอใจ
an
often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
|
solely[ADV]
|
|
โดยลำพัง
without
any others being included or involved; "was entirely to blame"
|
adoption[N]
|
|
การเลือกเอา
the
act of accepting with approval; favorable reception;
"its
adoption by society"
|
distribute[VT]
|
|
เผยแพร่
administer
or bestow, as in small portions; "administer critical remarks to
everyone present";
|
honor[VT]
|
|
เคารพ
a
tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction;
"an award for bravery"
|
armistice[N]
|
|
การพักรบ
an agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting for a certain time; a truce:
the Italian government signed an armistice with the Allies
|
headquarter[N]
|
|
กองบัญชาการ (ทางการทหาร)
have headquarters at a specified location:
Unesco is headquartered in Paris
|
conference[N]
|
|
การสัมมนา
a
prearranged meeting for consultation or exchange of information or discussion
(especially one with a formal agenda)
|
orphan[N]
|
|
เด็กกำพร้า
deprived
of parents by death or desertion
|
retire[VT]
|
|
ออกไป
go
into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position;
"He retired at age 68"
|
expat[SL]
|
|
คนต่างด้าว
|
embassies[N]
|
|
สถานเอกอัครราชทูต
a
diplomatic building where ambassadors live or work
|
petal[N]
|
|
กลีบดอกไม้
part
of the perianth that is usually brightly colored
|
lapel[N]
|
|
ส่วนของเสื้อที่ต่อจากปกเสื้อ
lap
at the front of a coat; continuation of the coat collar
|
Republican[ADJ]
|
|
เกี่ยวกับสาธารณรัฐ
relating
to or belonging to the Republican Party; "a Republican senator"
|
adornment[N]
|
|
การประดับประดา
a
decoration of color or interest that is added to relieve plainness 2
|
Today, I would like to
reading some story. I search in internet and find it now. I interest “Poppy’s
not just a flower” I think, it’s interesting for reading and practice this
skill. This text is about meaning of each poppies that can explain Poppy’s not
just a flower.
Premier Leaque , a FiFa
is wearing poppies that is symbol of sport. In November 1918, a poem Moina
Miclael wear and distribute poppies in honor of fallen soldiers. The poppy was
officially adopted by the American
Legion and it become an international symbol of remembering fallen soldiers. Many people use poppies to
assist retired injured soldiers. In many country such as Scotland, South of
Africa, Canada and United states have poppies in symbol and know together.
I think, The poppies is
important because it become symbol of many country and make an important day
for the fall soldiers. It has meaning for many people that live in War. I think, Poppies not just a
flower but it’s a symbol of many people and many country that important to
soldier fighting for their.
