Remembrance Day

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 McRae

Amen to that.

That is the memorial day poem. For the holiday in May.

In Flanders Fields is a poem that figures very prominently in Canadian Remembrance Day services.

I had the opportunity to visit the Flanders area of Belgium this summer, and went all around the Ieper/Ypres area. The 100th anniversary of WWI commenced last year and there are commemorative events planned all the way through 2018.

This slideshow contains a collection of photos I took of the WWI cemeteries and memorials while I was there, including Essex Farm Cemetery, which is contained within Site John McCrae, where McCrae served and wrote his famous poem.

For the day today, Armistice Day, 11th November.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.”

Ode of Remembrance

Our house is shaking from the 21 gun salute down the street at the Legislature.

Watching the national ceremony in Ottawa on tv with the Piper Cub. He has a lot of questions.

<slight hijack>
Mentions of Remembrance Day always remind me of this verse from one of my favorite Canadian bands.

“Little girls come on Remembrance Day
Placing flowers on his grave.
She waits (in) the shadows `till after dark
Just to
Sweep them all away.”

</hijack>

Who is the “she” in that verse? That’s sad. Was is a family member?

Maybe the fallen soldier’s daughter? Just a guess, hopefully shunpiker will set us straight.
I’ve posted about this before: Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Fields, is the theme just inside the entrance to the U.S. National WWI Museum in Kansas City, MO. On entering, one walks over a glass bridge with thousands of silk poppies, 1 for each of our fallen (IIRC), and the poem is posted there as well.

My best wishes and respects on this day to all of my British, Canadian, Australian and other Commonwealth Doper friends.

Here’s a photo. It’s one poppy per thousand WWI dead, and not just American ones either.

http://theclio.com/web/ul/16413.31269.jpg

It’s a very obscure reference and I’m not sure there’s a real story there. I’ve guess I’ve never listened to the words closely enough to make sense of it all, so I did some research today. The tune* seems to be in reference to (Canadian) Tom Thompson (painter; not a veteran) and his wife/lover as “the sweeper”. Though, you’re right, that line reinforces the feeling of conflict within the tune. Nevertheless, it always reminds me of Remembrance (and Veteran’s) Day. And the day reminds me of that song.

Similarly, the 24th of May always reminds me of the song, “Lakeside Park”… and vice-versa.

* It’s a tune called “3 Pistols” from the Tragically Hip. Those guys have always been pretty spacey.

From Australia’s experience rather than Canada’s, but two songs about the Great War that always get to me:
The Band Played Waltzing Matilda and Jingle Jangle, both by Eric Bogle.