Sunday 9 November 2014

Mouse Will Remember Them

As it is 100 years since the start of World War 1, Mouse thought he would do something special to mark the occasion.  He had heard about an exciting thing happening at The Tower of London in memory of all of the British and Colonial soldiers that gave their lives for our freedom during the First World War.

A major artistic installation entitled 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' has seen over 800,000 ceramic poppies planted in the moat of the Tower of London, one poppy for each of the lives lost.

Mouse decided he just had to see it for himself so off he went on a day trip.  It was super busy as so many people also wanted to see this amazing sight.



It really was an amazing thing to see and Mouse was really glad he went to have a look for himself.  This year he will be saying an extra special prayer on Remembrance Day.  Mouse also wanted to share his favourite poem from World War 1 by Wilfred Owen, Dulce et Decorum Est.

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Mouse hopes you enjoyed this adventure and he will be back soon for another one.  Why not sign up HERE to the Where The Heck Is Mouse? newsletter so that every adventure is delivered direct to your inbox.

2 comments:

  1. Ah, Steve! I've been seeing the most beautiful pictures of this from my friends from the UK. Very moving!!

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  2. It is incredible Katy. You could purchase one of the poppies to be sent when the display is finished too.

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