Dear Poppy 

how I love you 

how I admire you 

and the brilliance of your life 

 

the bravery that you showed on the beaches of normandy 

and the heroism on LST 279

serving as chef aboard the ship 

fighting against the Nazis 

 

and to hear you tell it 

with tears in your eyes 

of the men you saw drowning 

never to return to loved ones 

makes me weep inside 

 

Part of you returned from the war 

and another part stayed 

always with those men who never made it back 

 

you created an amazing life for yourself 

and with the love of your life 

bringing in two children onto this earth 

who you nurtured and cared for 

than all the grandkids 

and great grandchildren 

of which I am lucky enough to be one

 

and now your life is drawing to a close 

stupid cancer 

 

you lived your life so selflessly 

always putting others first 

 

and to be taken by this disease 

is not fair

 to the life that you have lived 

 

your mind is clear and your heart full 

at 93 years young 

and yet 

you are dying 

and blocking that part out 

 

you still face everyday 

with a smile and a joke 

 

telling about Honor Flight 

and how I was able to get you there 

to honor you 

and the service of your life 

 

three months later 

you would be diagnosed with 

Stage four colon cancer 

 

a diagnosis none of us were prepared for 

 

we knew we didn’t have much time anyways 

but more than this 

 

before your gone 

and you’re not gone yet 

 

I love you 

I am proud of you 

you are my hero 

 

goodbye my sweet poppy 

 

my poppy flower 

and the flowers outside of your home 

that you nurtured and cared for 

their season is drawing to a close 

and we will mourn the brilliance of their life so 

I will never forget you

 

i will always love you 

your very proud great granddaughter 

Maggie Epperson