The Flowers of Poppies Worn in Splendour

My humble contribution to Remembrance Day

Some gave their life for a kingdom.
Some died without a voice.
Somewhere was a voice in the wilderness,
But it was not a wilderness of choice.

There is no freedom on a battlefield,
And battles are not fought with dreams.
Minefields are full of nightmares.
Nightmares are full of screams.

Weapons are for a purpose,
That purpose can be a crime.
Some crime goes without punishment,
But the punishment was not mine.

Suffering can become a kingdom,
A kingdom lived in the dark.
The dark is full of shadows,
Where blood leaves its mark.

The flowers of poppies worn in splendour
Paying tribute to the dead.
Peace is what they all died for
But that word still needs to be spread.

© 2018 Daniel Kemp All rights reserved

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About Daniel Kemp

At the age of seventy-six, Daniel Kemp has started his second year of studying the science of Psychology at the Open University. He is a member of The Society of Authors and also a bestselling writer. However, in early September 2025, he was diagnosed with cancer. He is now in palliative care at home, being looked after by his ex-wife. When he was writing his novels, he enjoyed writing stories that appealed to those who liked challenging themselves to solve mysteries that were set out before their eyes, but they couldn't. His introduction to the world of espionage and mystery happened at an early age when his father was employed by the War Office in Whitehall, London, at the end of WWII. However, it wasn’t until after his father died that he showed any interest in anything other than himself! On leaving academia he took on many roles in his working life: a London police officer, mini-cab business owner, pub tenant and licensed London taxi driver, but never did he plan to become a writer. Nevertheless, after a road traffic incident left him suffering from PTSD and effectively—out of paid work for four years, he wrote and self-published his first novel —The Desolate Garden. Within three months of publication, that book was under a paid option to become a $30 million film. The option lasted for six years until distribution became an insurmountable problem for the production company. All ten of his novels are now published by Next Chapter Publishing Company which has added an edition titled The Heirs And Descendants Collection, which holds all four books of that series, alongside an edition titled The Lies And Consequences Collection which contains all four volumes of that series. He is the recipient of rave reviews from a prestigious Manhattan publication and described as—the new Graham Green—by a highly placed executive of Waterstones Books, for whom he did a countrywide tour of book signing events. He has also appeared on 'live' television in the UK publicising his first novel. Less
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6 Responses to The Flowers of Poppies Worn in Splendour

  1. beth's avatar ksbeth says:

    a beautiful tribute

  2. Onisha Ellis's avatar Onisha Ellis says:

    A lovely tribute, Danny

  3. Perpetua's avatar Perpetua says:

    A wonderful tribute. Remembrance day for me is also remembering the ones that came back and become the voice for the silenced.

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