It happens every year. I try to think how I could best write a proper remembrance of those brave souls who made the ultimate sacrifice so the rest of us could enjoy the freedom to live our dreams. But it never materializes because someone else already said it best. His name….Lt. Colonel John McCrae. And these are his words:
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.
Happy Memorial Day!
The Cvillean 
We listened to NPR on Monday morning as they read that beautiful letter written by a soldier to his wife during the Civil War. He died in the war. Surely you’ve heard it before. No matter how many times I hear that letter read, it still makes me cry. I don’t even remember which side he fought for, and it doesn’t matter. Love the Flanders Field poem, too.
Yes, I definitely know that poem and it is a gut-wrencher for sure. I have it on the album that comes with the music from the Civil War TV series.
Oh, yeah, that’s where I heard it, too, Al. We have that music also. Forgot about it.
I know what you mean in choosing this poem. I also felt that John McCrae’s words were perfect when I wrote my Remembrance Day post about my grandfather who, like John McCrae, served with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces.
I am very familiar with those lines. The poppy is an instantly recognizable symbol of respect for those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts past and present. The Royal British Legion organise the Poppy Appeal each year, to provide practical, emotional and financial support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present, and their families.
We wear poppies with pride in On Remembrance Sunday each November. My late husband was a Burma Star and his father before him served at Arras, France during WW1.
PS: I have a new home, I joined all the rowdies today!
I think we call your Remembrance Day Veteran’s Day here. For years it was known as Armistice Day. I would love to hear more about your husbands exploits if you would indulge me.
My husband was a very positive man, injured in Burma, but only once spoke to me about his war. It was in the wee small hours of the morning, you know the hour when ghosts visit! I wrote about him here: http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2013/04/26/out-of-sight-out-of-mind/
Thank you for sending on that link. It was fascinating and a credit to your writing that I felt like I knew him well at the end of it. I have read volumes on WWII but I am still mesmerized by any new account. One of my reads was about General Stillwell and the Burma campaign so I had a little perspective to go by. I wrote a blog myself about my father-in-law at Pearl Harbor if you’d like to read it. https://thecvillean.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/the-other-magellan/
One of my favourite blog posts ever, I was telling my parents about it when I was over for mum’s birthday (27th May)
I cannot fathom the ultimate sacrifice that so many brave soldiers have made for our country. Thank you for this reminder.
Always a somber day for me.
One of my favorite poems.
Hi Bernice. Can’t imagine how anyone could get as much meaning in so few words, but her sure did just that. As the story goes, he wrote this in the back of an ambulance after he had just buried a good friend.
Have you read any of the other WWI poets? Alan Seeger who died at the Somme for example? His relative was Pete Seeger, war protester in WWII and Vietnam. I miss the poppies we could buy on Armistice Day. Dianne
Have not read him before. Will try to do that in the near future.
Also, my professor of English history also recommended Robert Graves. He wrote, ‘I, Claudius’ and ‘The White Goddess.’ HIs most famous work is “Goodbye to All That,” about the demise of his class following WWI. (Downton Abbey on steroids.)
that was beautiful;
hello BigAl its me, Patrecia. Misswhiplash, I got lost along the way when I deleted my old blog to start anew and deleted all my followers so I have been spending my time tracking them down…so here I am..patrecia1939 God’s Creatures…come on over and have a peek-a-boo…I would love to hear from you again..I missed so much
Hi Patrecia! Where in the world have you been? Glad to finally find you again as I have missed you too. Look forward to catching up on your new blog!
Amen
And another amen.