Americans don’t wear poppies and it’s a shame

I passed a man on the sidewalk today who was still wearing a poppy. Maybe he just neglected to remove it from his coat after Remembrance Day, or maybe he figures we shouldn’t signal our remembrance of veterans only in the week or so leading up to the annual ceremonies at Riverside Park.

If that’s the case it’s a nice gesture. Somebody brought it to my attention earlier this week that Americans don’t wear poppies the way we do in Canada and the U.K. I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about that, but it’s true and it’s surprising, given the overt patriotism normally exhibited by our American friends.

They not only don’t wear poppies, they don’t understand why we do. When it’s explained to them, they get it. Our tradition of wearing poppies is a wonderful thing, a very visible sign that we truly have not forgotten. Almost everyone wears a poppy — indeed, it’s considered a social faux pas if we don’t.

By the way, the ceremonies at Riverside Park this year were terrific. Each year, I feel very moved by them. The flypast by the 419 Squadron, the first in several years, added something special. The heart quickens a little when those jet trainers fly overhead at exactly the right moment in the program.