Monday, May 31, 2010

The Poppies Blow Between The Crosses, Row On Row

 
In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
 

7 comments:

Unknown said...

What is this a reference to?

Joseph Fromm said...

After John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields was published in 1915 the poppy became a popular symbol for soldiers who died in battle.

Three years later an American, Moina Michael, was working in a New York City YMCA canteen when she started wearing a poppy in memory of the millions who died on the battlefield.

During a 1920 visit to the United States a French woman, Madame Guerin, learned of the custom. On her return to France she decided to use handmade poppies to raise money for the destitute children in war-torn areas of the country.
http://www.canoe.ca/RemembranceDay/poppy.html

justrobnj said...

Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Thank you for remembering.

Anonymous said...

Why all these war memoirs, Frommage?

Anonymous said...

War is not good for children and other living things.

Anonymous said...

McCrea's poem was quite popular but it's pretty awful next to the other poetry from WWI. Check out the Penguin Anthology of WWI poetry.

Joseph Fromm said...

Dear Cheese Connoisseur,

Have you heard of Memorial Day?