Gil I am sure you meant no disrespect but this is a truly a very moving poem to the soldiers that died in WW I (“The Great War” — “The Was To End All Wars”) by John McCrae
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 McRae was an MD serving with the 1st Canadian Field Artillery at the second battle of Ypres, (April 22-May 25 1915) treating the wounded in a makeshift bunker behind the lines. One of his best friends was killed in the battle and this inspired him to write “In Flanders Fields” on May 3, 1915. The poem is literally engraved in stone at Eilean Donan castle, the “seat” of Clan McCrae in the Scottish Highlands. It is usually read as part of the Canadian Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11th. For Canadians, it has almost the character of a hymn.
John McRae did not survive the war.
This particular “take” on an almost “immortal” piece of writing borders on the offensive.
My apologies………….I did not intend to offend anyone. I do understand the reverence of the original poem, In Flanders Fields. It;s just that the view of the hay field from my house reminded me of the words of the original poem. Gil Riley
Gil I am sure you meant no disrespect but this is a truly a very moving poem to the soldiers that died in WW I (“The Great War” — “The Was To End All Wars”) by John McCrae
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 McRae was an MD serving with the 1st Canadian Field Artillery at the second battle of Ypres, (April 22-May 25 1915) treating the wounded in a makeshift bunker behind the lines. One of his best friends was killed in the battle and this inspired him to write “In Flanders Fields” on May 3, 1915. The poem is literally engraved in stone at Eilean Donan castle, the “seat” of Clan McCrae in the Scottish Highlands. It is usually read as part of the Canadian Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11th. For Canadians, it has almost the character of a hymn.
John McRae did not survive the war.
This particular “take” on an almost “immortal” piece of writing borders on the offensive.
My apologies………….I did not intend to offend anyone. I do understand the reverence of the original poem, In Flanders Fields. It;s just that the view of the hay field from my house reminded me of the words of the original poem. Gil Riley