There is a poignant beauty to this display of red poppies – especially against the grey Yorkshire sky and dark stone. It is to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele.
In 1917 our village Menston was quite small, but a high percentage of its young men died fighting in the First World War – especially this particular battle.
A hundred years ago is another lifetime. But when I turned 40, it went through my mind that conscription was often for men under 40 years of age.
We are fortunate to live in the absence of war, but I also remember Sri Chinmoy’s aphorism.
“Peace does not mean the absence of war.
Peace means the presence of harmony, love, satisfaction and oneness.”