Where Some of the Poppies have Gone

Almost one year ago I preached a message in Martyrs entitled, 'Where Have All The Poppies Gone?'

The question was prompted by the removal of the iconic display of 888,246 poppies that progressively filled the Tower of London's famous moat from July to November 2014. This work of installation art was called, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, with each poppy representing a life that was lost among the British and Colonial ranks during the First World War.

However, despite the notable efforts of famous political figures, the display was dismantled as planned by the artist after Armistice Day 2014. Key to his concept of this work was the thought of transcience - how quickly the lives of these men were snuffed out. By this stage at least 5 million people had visited the Tower of London site.

As a part concession, it was announced that the Wave segment – a steel construction with poppies around the Tower entrance – would remain in place until the end of November 2014, and that the Wave and the Weeping Window segments (both made by the Theatre Royal, Plymouth) would be taken on a tour of the UK lasting until 2018, and would then go on permanent display at the Imperial War Museums in London and Manchester.

I was able to visit both 'travelling' displays last weekend – one at Wakefield, the other in Liverpool.

You may follow the link to the original sermon here: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1214141517010