Poppy's Play

"If you'll gather 'round me, children,

A story I will tell,*

About Poppy Perrywinkle, a soldier,

He knew those bunkers well.

It was in the town of Toms River,

In the spring of 44',

Poppy was driving his supped up V8 Ford,

Without a care in the world.

There a recruiter approached him,

In a manner rather crude,

Forceful words of indoctrination,

Caught young Poppy by surprise.

Papa Perrywinkle told him,

Because he loved him so,

"No Poppy,

Don't Be A Hero!"

Poppy ignored his papa,

He wanted to see the world,

And fight the dirty Hun.

So he joined the United States Marine Corp,

Section A, Company 1.

Poppy landed on the beaches of Normandy,

He fought the hardest he could,

But he left his bloody brains,

Out on the stormy coast.

26 days later,

A somber man in black,

Came and told old papa,

Poppy wasn't coming back.

He said to him,

"Your son, he was a hero,

A boy he came, but a man he died",

Papa just cried and cried and cried.

*I borrowed that line directly from Pretty Boy Floyd by Woody Guthrie, which this poem/song is directly influenced by.