Olá, Povo de Deus
No mês de novembro, no Brasil, comemoramos o dia de Finados (dia 2), onde lembramos os nossos queridos que não estão mais entre nós. Aqui no Canadá também existe uma celebração semelhante: o Remembrance Day. No entanto, durante todo o mês de novembro os canadenses recordam das pessoas que se foram em decorrência da guerra. Do dia primeiro até o dia 11, as pessoas se lembram. Para indicar que elas estão se lembrando, elas utilizam na lapela o coquelicot (ou poppy, em inglês, ou ainda a amapola, em português). Esta flor era abundante nos campos de guerra europeus, onde florescia com seu vermelho notável. E, é claro, remete ao sangue dos mortos na guerra.
Usar a flor indica que elas perderam algum ente querido na guerra (Afeganistão, por exemplo), ou simplesmente são solidárias aos veteranos de guerra, cujo sustento também é mantido, em parte, pela venda dos coquelicots. Assim, todo mundo ajuda. O ponto culminante é o Remembrance Day, dia 11 de novembro (mês 11), às 11h. Aí se comemora o final da primeira guerra mundial (1918), em todos os países de origem britânica, não somente no Canadá.
O Canadá possui um respeito gigantesco pelos seus veteranos de guerra, e a gente os vê na rua utilizando a flor e a oferecendo para outros utilizarem, muitas vezes em troca de algumas moedas. Vi um casal vendendo em um shopping e fiquei tocado ouvindo suas histórias. Aqui em Montréal, todo mundo usa. As pessoas públicas, principalmente, devem mostrar que se importam, e têm que usar: apresentadores de TV, políticos, esportistas, etc.
Segue abaixo um poema muito legal que encontrei sobre o Remembrance Day. Vale a pena ler.
Please wear a poppy," the lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"
When she's pinned it on he turned to say,
"Why do we wear a poppy today?"
The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free —
That's why we wear a poppy, you see.
"I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
and became a man — as you will, too.
"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he'd seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,
I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry.
"But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.
"Till at last, at last, the war was won —
And that's why we wear a poppy son."
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son — did he come back all right?"
A tear rolled down each faded cheek;
She shook her head, but didn't speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you'd have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Thought our freedom was bought — and thousands paid!
And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace might live.
Then wear a poppy! Remember — and give!
And held one forth, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"
When she's pinned it on he turned to say,
"Why do we wear a poppy today?"
The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free —
That's why we wear a poppy, you see.
"I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
and became a man — as you will, too.
"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he'd seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,
I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry.
"But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.
"Till at last, at last, the war was won —
And that's why we wear a poppy son."
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son — did he come back all right?"
A tear rolled down each faded cheek;
She shook her head, but didn't speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you'd have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Thought our freedom was bought — and thousands paid!
And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace might live.
Then wear a poppy! Remember — and give!
E vamos seguindo com passos firmes, de quem sabe onde quer chegar.
Forte abraço e a Paz
Igor Schultz
Um comentário:
Choreiiiiiiii.
Postar um comentário