Wednesday, November 11, 2020

In Flanders Fields (Armistice Day 2020)

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.

Lt. Colonel John McCrae 03 May 1915

6 comments:

  1. Very evocative...... especially in 2020 when so much of our freedoms are being stripped away from us under the excuse of Covid, especially here in the UK and Europe. I am not sure of the USA, but no doubt there are freedoms being stripped away from you folk as well.

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    1. Vera - Yes, it certainly feels like it is happening here as well. "Only for the duration of the emergency" or some such. That said, I am not holding my breath that such things will be restored. Freedoms, once lost, scarcely bloom again.

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  2. I've always enjoyed that poem.

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    1. It is one of my favorites Ed. Up there with "Loveliest of Trees" by A.E Housman.

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  3. 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. (from a poem by Laurence Binyon)

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    1. Thank you Debby! I had completely forgotten that quote.

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