At the School Green (a Song of Remembrance)

Verse 1

Em                                                        Am                                               

Thank you for your sacrifice, that helped us live a peaceful life.

G                                 F

Love and kindness. Strong, courageous.

C                                                              G

Thank you for the love you gave, a love that made our lives safe.

F                                                               Am                       G

Soldier’s graves in poppy fields: protective, still and silent shields.

Pre-Chorus

D                                                                          G

Have you ever experienced war like this? All round the world, soldiers mourned and missed,

C                                                                                           F                                  C

Teach us through courage and duty, the lesson is: End now all hatred, conflict and bitterness.

D                                                                            G

As we remember, we celebrate difference, grateful for freedom to think and to be ourselves,

C                                                                           F                                       C                                       D  Dsus2 D Dsus4

As we gather, reflect and show gratitude, we will learn from the soldiers' brave attitude.

Chorus

G                   D                           C                                      G         D

On this day, pause and pray. Remember those who save us.

G                D                                    C                                   G   D  G

Every day, come what may, give thanks for what they gave us.

Verse 1

Em                                                           Am                                            

Poppies grow now where they lay; their tomorrow, our today

G                           F

This November, we’ll remember

        C                                                               G

And say a prayer for love and peace that may all badness sink beneath

        F                                                               Am                 G

The mud that once in poppy fields gave life anew to soldiers’ dreams.

Pre-Chorus 2

          D                                                                                                G       

Have you ever sacrificed something that meant more than life? Have you failed but tried? Have you walked in the

C                                                                                                            F                                                     C                             

Footsteps of those who before you showed courage? Have you stayed true, win or lose? Walk in their shoes: Have you...

D                                                                     G

Ever written a letter to loved ones you know you’ll never hold again? In the

C                                                                                             F                                           C                                     D

Cold of the trenches, the mud and the rain and the snow? We remember to make this world better.

Repeat Chorus x2

Lyric fragments and ideas taken directly from children’s sheets:

Thank you for the hope you held, the love they gave, the love that made our lives safe

The sacrifice that helped us live a peaceful life

Protected by shields, the silence of the poppy fields

Have hope

The thought that the soldiers gave to us

Thank you for... giving your lives for us, giving us safety, fighting in the war, saving our lives, giving us a peaceful life

Where badness goes beneath

We remember the trenches, the mud and blood, the snow and the rain

On this day we remember those who saved us

New flowers, kindness, the beautiful poppy, the things you did, love and peace, your sacrifice

Dying so that we can keep on trying ah-ah-ah

They dream of going home.

In November we remember.

We gather together and we say thank you, You stayed true. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose.
New life in the mud and the poppies

Letting us live a peaceful life, being there to save us, sacrificing your lives for ours, saving us from danger, doing everything you can to help, trying to have a better world, ending conflict, ending bitterness

Help us make a better world, remind us what to do

Say no to hatred, thank you for your duty and responsibility, we show our gratitude, we reflect, we are sad and still

Time has now passed but we can remember them evermore

Stop for a moment and say a prayer

Their tomorrow is our today, where they lay...poppies grow

Have you ever experienced war like this? Have you sacrificed your life?

Have you been shot by a gun? Have you been in the army? Have you written a letter to a loved one, knowing you won’t ever see them again? Have you been loved through a poppy?

Thank you for what you gave us.

The soldiers stand in poppy fields, praying that they go home safely.

Have you ever failed yet tried? All these soldiers died for us. Help us gain their respect.

They gave us our freedom. We can be who we want to be and be ourselves thanks to them.

Love and kindness

Be in their shoes. Feel what they felt.

Those who saved us, the people who saved our country

We show gratitude for their attitude

They save the world, all over the world soldiers are not forgotten, the soldiers are missed

What can the soldiers teach us? What can we learn from them?

Would you give your life? Would you give more than your life? Would you walk in their footsteps/footprints? Can you follow them

It is OK to be different. We treat each other with respect now. Say no to war.

Love and kindness, being brave and strong, courage, the days you give, family and friends, helping our world

Courageous and loving, kind

Have you ever sacrificed your life for others? Have you ever wanted to see your loved ones just one more time? Have you ever [died] from grief? Have you ever wish you’d [gone] long ago to save you pain?

We will remember every day, we will never give up

By Sophia, Ella, Zack, Mabel, Olivia, Elsie, Izzy, Phoebe, Kelsie, James, Darcy R, Harper, Paisley, Hazel.

The final lyrics include some oral contributions from the whole group. After the first verse and chorus, words were assembled from the ideas above to fit the melodies and chords written by the children.

Composed on children from Lime, Oak and Sycamore on Tuesday 11^th November 2025 with assistance from Mr Oliver-Dean. Music written by choosing ‘3 time’, a mood then voting for chords in turn to form a sequence for the verse. Verse melody developed around a tune created by Isobel and then words from Sophia and Harper, with help from the whole class. Pre-chorus rhythm and melody developed from lyrics by Paisley (chords to match melody) with help from the class. Remaining words developed from ideas written by children in the room at the time.