Poppies

Poppies have always been one of my favorite flowers. I have grown them from seeds, nurtured them through the seedling phase, and planted them in my garden, only to have the spring up each year, fuller and more robust.

I have since learnt, Poppies are used as a symbol of both sleep and death.

Sleep because of the opium extracted from them; remember that scene from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in which the new found friend’s journey to Oz is threatened by a lifelong sleep in the poppy field.

Death is symbolized because of the common blood-red color of the red poppy in particular. Poppies were used as offerings to the dead during Greek and Roman Times. As well Poppies are used as emblems on cemetery tombstones symbolize eternal sleep.

A second interpretation of poppies in Classical mythology is that the bright scarlet colour signifies a promise of resurrection after death.