The Poppies of Flander’s Field
Ranked #486 in Books, Poetry & Writing, #23,056 overall
In Flander's Field: The Poem, The Poppies, and The Poet
Perhaps the most famous poem written during World War I, these simple but powerful fifteen lines, and the poppies they immortalize, have come to symbolize the fallen soldiers of WWI.
"In Flander's Field" Painting by Willy Werner
"In Flander's Field" by John McCrae
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.
Flander's Field American Cemetery and Memorial
Who is LTC John McCrae?
A descendant of Scottish immigrants, Lieutenant Colonel John Alexander McCrae was born in Guelph, Ontario on November 30, 1872. He was a physician and an author, but is best known for "In Flander's Field." During the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium he served as a surgeon with the Canadian artillery in a field hospital.Throughout the hellish battle in the Ypres Salient, McCrae treated many injured soldiers and on May 2, 1915, he witnessed the death of a close friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer. The next day, after performing the funeral service for his friend in the absence of a chaplain, McCrae sat near the cemetery and, as he watched the poppies blowing between the gravestones, he penned this poem to express his sadness at the devestation. The poem was later published in Punch magazine on December 8, 1915.
A Storm in Flanders: The Ypres Salient, 1914-1918
A Storm in Flanders: The Ypres Salient, 1914-1918: Tragedy and Triumph on the Western Front
Amazon Price: $7.00 (as of 06/01/2012)
"In Flander's Field - Lest We Forget"
The poem has been put to music many times over the years. This video is a good example of the poem as a song.
Poppy Photos
The VFW's Buddy Poppy
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) was created in 1899 to secure the rights and benefits for the veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898). Its mission is to "honor the dead by helping the living," and it has 2.2 millions members worldwide.They have been making and distributing artificial poppies since 1922. In 1923, the poppies became known as "Buddy Poppies" and a program was adopted that paid disabled and needy veterans to assemble them. Since the next year the VFW had the name "Buddy Poppy" trademarked, every artificial poppy with a tag bearing this name is guaranteed to be made by a disabled or needy veteran.
"Support Our Troops. Remember Our Veterans." Make a donation to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
VFW : Our First Century
VFW : Our First Century
Amazon Price: $6.41 (as of 06/01/2012)
Tracing the history of the Veterans of Foreign Wars from 1899 to 1999.
What is Ypres?
The Second Battle of Ypres took place between April 22 and May 25, 1915, included four separate engagements, was the first time the Germans used large amounts of poison gas on the Western Front, and it completely devastated the area.
The photo above was taken on October 29, 1917 in the Ypres Salient during the Third Battle of Ypres, two years later.
Where is Ypres?
In Flanders Fields: The Story of the Poem by John McCrae
In Flanders Fields: The Story of the Poem by John McCrae
Amazon Price: $12.46 (as of 06/01/2012)
For young readers, an introduction to the poem and its author.
Find More WWI Books
A Simpsons Reference to Flander's Field
The Simpsons - The Complete Third Season
Amazon Price: $17.70 (as of 06/01/2012)
The poem "In Flander's Field" is referenced in the title of episode 38 of season 3 of The Simpsons, which is called "When Flanders Failed."
Support Our Troops
Operation Gratitude annually sends 100,000+ care packages of items and letters addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile overseas regions.
Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer-led nonprofit that encompasses over 20 different teams and programs. They send letters, care packages, and comfort items to deployed American service members, and we support their families here at home.
Operation Helmet is a 100% volunteer, non-partisan, charitable organization that provides helmet upgrade kits free of charge to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as to those ordered to deploy in the near future.
Love This Lens?
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Leave a Note. Share your thoughts.
-
-
cffutah
Jan 25, 2012 @ 10:39 am | delete
- well done on your writing, sad and inspiritual on what others do for us.
-
-
-
studiomargot
Aug 20, 2011 @ 5:23 am | delete
- O love the poppy photos, I simply love them! I'm a poppy painter myself, so I cannot resist their beauty! Thank you for sharing your beautiful lens with us!
-
-
-
AddaptAbilities Jul 22, 2011 @ 5:55 pm | delete
- Nicely done. There are so few lenses about WWI, it's nice to see someone writing about this great tragedy, and the lovely poem that memorialized it.
-
-
-
poddys
Mar 17, 2011 @ 1:54 am | delete
- Excellent lens, and let us not forget. My Grandfather was gassed and also wounder during the war. He had part of his skull blown off, and was left in non mans land during an attack on the German lines. Several days later he was found during a retreat and taken back and treated. He had a metal plate inserted into his head and lived until the 1960's, although he was never able to work again. Lensrolled to and featured on my One Hundred Years Ago lens, and Blessed by an angel.
-
-
-
ShirleySunshine
Feb 15, 2011 @ 5:39 pm | delete
- Very beautifully done, a fave for sure!
-
-
-
kimmanleyort
Nov 17, 2010 @ 1:13 pm | delete
- Beautiful page on poppies and Flander's Field. I remember reciting the poem when I was a child. ** Blessed **
-
-
-
sueanninga
Sep 12, 2010 @ 5:38 am | delete
- I love this tribute. I think you are a wonderful person.
One Stop Poppy Shoppe
-
-
-
skiesgreen
May 5, 2010 @ 3:00 am | delete
- That is a superb tribute to our war dead. Blessed and featured on Sprinkled with Stardust and on Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels of Kokoda
-
-
-
Shona Walter
Mar 23, 2010 @ 10:35 am | delete
- can anyone tell me when the poppies grow in Flanders Field. I would love to see them
-
-
-
jgelien Dec 11, 2009 @ 9:45 am | delete
- Beautiful and heart-wrenching. Thank you for the poignant reminder of all that war has cost. 5*
-
- Load More
by roamingrosie
I'm a writer and an artist, exploring the world a little bit at a time. more »
- 31 featured lenses
- Winner of 7 trophies!
- Top lens » The Poppies of Flander’s Field
Explore related pages
- The Art of Flowers The Art of Flowers
- Poppy Flower Art : Ah, Poppies! Poppy Flower Art : Ah, Poppies!
- Growing Different Kinds Of Poppies Growing Different Kinds Of Poppies
- Memorial Day - Wear a Buddy Poppy on Decoration Day Memorial Day - Wear a Buddy Poppy on Decoration Day
- Dictionary of Plant symbolism P Dictionary of Plant symbolism P
- Shirley Novak Flower Art Shirley Novak Flower Art
