World War I was the “war to end all wars.” Millions died. “In Flanders Field,” written by John McCrae, memorialized the carnage. Poppies have since been used on Memorial Day as a tribute to war dead.
In Flanders Field
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.
–John McCrae
The second verse is very haunting. I used to see poppies on this day all over town as a child. In recent years, nay decades, I haven’t seen anyone wearing poppies. Perhaps there will be some during Memorial Day services today. Some of our traditions fade away, yet today is one which we all honor in one way or another.
Gorgeous photo!!
Well chosen photo for this lovely tribute, Kay.
This is wonderful. We hear less and less about WWI, but that was a horrendous war (as are all wars). Thanks for sharing this photo and the poignant poem!
A good photographic choice for today, Kay.
We tend to wear poppies north of the border in the leadup to Remembrance Day. McCrae was an interesting figure in our history. He grew up not that far away where I grew up. His family cemetery plot bears his name on one of the gravestones, though he himself is buried in Europe.