Poppies, Flanders and Remembrance

I bought my poppy at a local supermarket today and my two year old cousin Lilia asked me what it was. I told her it was a special flower and that she will learn what it means when she is older - a real bottle-job answer.

Why do we were poppies? The stock answer is that we do it to remember the brave soldiers who fought in the devastating world wars. It conjures images of the Remembrance Service, Big Ben, and dear veteran servicemen wearing their medals with pride.

It's about so much more than that - but debate still arises at to whether red poppies are an appropriate manifestation of national remembrance.
As early as 1926, the White Poppy appeal began to take off, now a campaign carried on by the Peace Pledge Union. The emphasis is to disassociate remembrance with war - the symbol of the red poppy.

But that's a depiction of war Lilia could easily imagine - guns, explosions, bombs and blood. Like it or not, war carves the path of the world. When you're pinning your poppy to your lapel this week or next - take a moment and consider what you're remembering.

It's very difficult to even imagine the horrors of the Somme, the nightmares of the blitz and the despair of the 'War on Terror'. War is deep - it's about kids leaving home, letters to loved ones,  bonds of fellowship which remain to the death - in its most literal sense.

The relationship between poppies and war is simple - Lieutenant Colonel John McRae penned 'In Flanders Fields' having been moved by the contrast of the beautiful field he and his kin had once destroyed, fought, laughed, cried and died together in.

'In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row.'

Life and death has a complicated relationship. In the field of corpses, flowers still grow - by November the 11th 1918, the First World War had claimed approximately 8.5 million lives. Yet here we still are. And long may they be with us - in our thoughts, prayers, words and of course, in our lives.

Blue Citizens send Red Devils to hell and back.

City were breathtaking at times and United looked limp. For forty-five minutes the Theatre of Dreams became a shop-floor for the Sheikh's wares - the noisy neighbours trampled on their city rivals having stormed their Salford fortress. 

For twenty minutes it looked as if Mancini had once again marched across Manchester only to have the great gates slammed in his face by Sir Alex Ferguson's Imperial Guard. 

Young, direct, stung first in his lightning war with Richards, only for the City born and bred full back to be named Man of the Match for his unnerved efforts.

United drew little blood - but their enemy stared aghast at the mighty battlements, Ferdinand, Smalling. With their first offensive, they breached the castle wall.

'Why always me?' he asked - Balotelli coolly finished Milner's pull-back leaving De Gea with no chance. Jonny Evans saw red for preventing a second. Milner supplied it, Balotelli tap in - 'Why always me?'

2-0 against ten men, champions don't lose from here - Evans and Hernandez introduced to steady the ship. 3-0. Aguero finishes with aplomb - another astonishing move.

Fletcher scores a goal worthy to be a winner - Dzeko knocks one in with his knee. That's right, Balotelli and Aguero off, Nasri and Dzeko on! 4-1 City and a picture paints a thousand words.

United are whimpering, their fans are leaving, their manager is chewing relentlessly. Mancini, the young pretender senses the formality of conquest. He became an Emperor on this day - he gave no conditions for surrender.

Silva, his most masterful asset claimed the 5th - a nutmeg finish after Dzeko turned provider. Exquisite pass - Dzeko turns finisher - but finisher of what? Certainly not just Silva's slide-rule pass.

One battle does not win a war - but win a few big ones and you're on the right track. City's only barriers are psychological. They've won a trophy, they've won in Europe, they've won at Old Trafford.

6-1 is bragging rights - it's also false economy. The sending off changed it all and City finished everything they touched. However, this much is true - Manchester United can no longer beat Manchester City unless they play well. Furthermore, they might even need to play very well.