Once WWI was over the poppy was amazingly one of the only plants to grow on the now barren battlefields. Blazing orange-red, proud, beautiful- yet delicate- they stood at attention as they saluted the soldiers who had died. Thus it became the flower symbol for all veterans who served our countries.
"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.
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.
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."
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."
Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915 during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. http://www.flandersfieldsmusic.com/thepoem.html
