Remembering through art

For the past couple of weeks, the country's imagination has been captured by a piece of art.  The Field of Poppies in the moat of the Tower of London has been installed to commemorate the outbreak of WW1, one hundred years ago.  It comprises nearly 900,000 ceramic poppies, each one representing a British or Colonial military death during the War.  Yesterday I met my daughter in London, and we went to see the Poppies.

The scale of the installation was difficult to grasp, as was the very visual representation of the sacrifices made.  As a piece of art, it was beautiful and mesmerising.  The poppies encircle the Tower, and in places fall from windows and over walls.  

It was quite stunning and very moving.  I am sure many families have a connection to a fallen soldier in the Great War - I am aware of two within my own extended family - and I found this commemoration had a real resonance for me.  A time for remembrance and reflection.

The queue on the opposite bank of the Thames - we were in the queue on the opposite side to them!

The flip-side of the popularity of the Poppies has been the thousands of people who have flocked to the Tower to see them.  The queue was long indeed.  I have to say, I haven't been in such a crowd like that before.  Even my daughter, who lives and works in London and is therefore used to lots and lots of people thronging around at popular events, said the crowds were pretty special. However, queues aside, she and I had a very lovely day together.