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Saturday, November 12, 2005

Remembrance Day: " In Flanders Fields" and Saving Flanders Fields

In honour of Remembrance Day, I felt it appropriate to post this article about the Canadian World War One soldier who penned the poem, "In Flanders Fields". As you wear your poppy today, please remember John McCrae, and all those who have given their lives for our country.... I wonder, do the Americans know of him and his poignant, famous poem, penned in the trenches of Flanders? Probably not, as he was not one of 'theirs'...(Update: I have just received the answer to my question about Americans and their knowledge of John McCrae, Flanders Fields and the poppy when I came across no red poppies for us in an American's blog a few minutes ago.)

Please take a moment today to show respect for all those who died and those who fought and survived in both World Wars.

Lest we forget the words to this poem -- or for those who may not have heard them -- I've reprinted the poem here:


"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 fading 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." -- John McCrae (1872-1918)




Flanders Fields

It's one of the best known pieces of war remembrance, but the poem penned by Canadian John McCrae almost never made it out of the trenches. Yet exactly who convinced him to publish the iconic lament remains a mystery, writes Doug Fischer.

Read full article

2 comment(s):

This is very interesting site...
» »

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:46 AM  

Cool blog, interesting information... Keep it UP » »

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:18 PM  

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