In Flanders Fields

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

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.

2

I think I see the problem.

3

For what its worth, I’ll throw in a thanks. A toast to you, Lamar.

4

Sneak home and pray you’ll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.

5

On the plus side, World War I solved the German issue and they were never a problem again.

6

What a mensch!

7

Is this poem well known outside of Canada?

8

Why are you posting it today? It’s not November.

:confused:

9

Tomorrow is Memorial Day in the US. It is a day to honor The dead soldiers, which what the poem is about.

10

Memorial Day - To remember those who served in the military and are now dead.

**Veteran’s Day **- To acknowledge those who served and are still alive.

Armed Forces Day - To recognize those who are currently in the military.

And, yes, the poem is well known outside of Canada. I have a penpal in Singapore who is fond of it.

11

Don’t forget the part about making new dead soldiers. :frowning:

The poem has always choked me up, but I cannot separate the homage to the dead from the other theme of recruitment to the senseless meatgrinder that was the Western Front.

12

If I may add another poem, I’ve always found this one more in line with how soon we forget…and what and whom we should remember:

13

And… coincidentally (I think) tomorrow’s the 100th anniversary of the end of the Second Battle of Ypres, which is the battle that McCrae wrote his poem during (earlier in the month, but same battle).

14

Here’s another good one: http://www.uky.edu/KentuckyCulture/bivouac.html

Or consider the epitaph at Thermopylae:

Tell them in Sparta, passerby,
that here, obedient to their law, we lie.

15

You’ve been listening to your old Tom Lehrer albums again? :smiley:

16

In memory of those that have served, and served their countries well, especially those who served with finality:

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunwards I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds – and done a thousand things

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hovering there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air,

Up, up the long delirious burning blue

I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,

Where never lark, or even eagle, flew;

And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of god.

(I have always associated this poem with the dead memorialized on this holiday, though I know that it was not written with such a purpose in mind. Yet, I always think of this work, as well as “touching the face of God,” today.)

17

I’m a bugged that a poem inspired by the war dead from the second battle at Ypres is so popular in the US. Not a single soldier from the US fought in that battle. Not that you can’t appreciate moving writing but it seems a bit like cultural theft.

WWI was a formative period for Canada, it was one our first big boy responsibilities, separate from mother England. To me, the poem always makes me think of a young mother (Canada) mourning the massive loss of her children before their time.

The bloody thing is on our $10 bill, in part is the motto for the Canadiens hockey team, and has to be the single most read piece of literature in Canada. Just let us keep something so deeply personal instead of expropriating it for your own nationalistic uses.

It would be almost akin to us using the words from the Star Spangled Banner to celebrate Canada day.

18

I had to memorize and recite that for school when I was 11. I thought it was twaddle then, and 42 years has not changed my opinion.

19

What a bunch of dickbags…

20

Oops, I guess I wasn’t supposed to say that. Apologies.

I just recently buried an Uncle who served in three wars in a National Cemetery. One day out of the year and you can’t respect that. Jeez.