It is not my story, it is their story, the British military fatalities of war. I am just a small part of thousands of people who have had the opportunity to contribute to a piece of installation art. Created by Paul Cummins with the layout staged by Tom Piper these ceramic poppies form
Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red. It was a very moving experience. Putting the poppies together was demanding on the fingers. Hammering them into the ground was easy. The bigger picture after we had finished the shift was harder. Walking away from our small area in the moat, turning the corner and looking at the expanse of red ahead of us was overwhelming. Each one a representation of someone who had died and the knowledge that the sea of red has not yet been finished stopped us and brought home the reality of war and loss.
The making of a poppy display. Take a group of volunteers.
Give them some components.
Add some safety gear.
Everyone works together, this is a team effort.
Plant your poppy with pride
Then take a walk and view the bigger picture.
If one or two of the poppies have fallen, then that is even more poignant.
So thank you Royal Palaces and the Tower of London. It was an honour to be part of this creation.
Today, my group planted 7,000 poppies and this was how it looked.
Tomorrow it will be different.
No comments:
Post a Comment