In Flanders Fields
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.-Col. John McCrae
9 comments:
I still love that .
Me too. I can remember reciting it as a kid, and I ALSO remember that back East, schools are closed so that kids could attend special services. It breaks my heart that this is not a national holiday where a far greater part of the population could go to the special events... To me, this is far more important that celebrating Queen Vicy's birthday...
Schools were closed in Ontario on Remembrance Day when I was a kid. I remember, however, when that practice stopped. The Legion said schools should not be closed, because that's one of the things our men and women fought and died for. Besides, kids just treated it as a school holiday, so the Legion said it preferred that they be in school, learning about Remembrance Day and why it's not just another day off.
While I agree with you, Kitty, I can't argue any of those points, either.
In my mind, too, I think what has happened since September 11, 2001 makes Remembrance Day much more poignant.
My Nan used to take us to the rememberance day events... She lost a Brother in WWII and both my grand fathers also faught in the same...
I agree that it's important that kids are taught, but I can say that for weeks before we focused on the wars in school would do art for the Legion etc... I think that HAS been lost.
I have to say that they are still teaching kids in school about the importance of this day but not as much as when I was a kid. My daughter has learned alot regarding Nov.11 and why its so important.
I am thinking it should be a day for students to be bused and see the ceremony and all the veteran's taking part.
Even better Maria!
Nova Scotia is the only province left that shuts up everything on Nov. 11. In fact it's the only day of the year now when everything must be shut. That alone makes it special. Schools have their Remembrance Day ceremonies the day before so students know why they're getting a day off. Here it just seems like a government holiday. Most non-government people have to go work, school is business as usual
Everyone stops like statues in shopping malls on the eleventh hour for the minute silence, ever so camp!
It happens here... but not as much. People are too into themselves.
At work yesterday we stopped and stood for a minute. Not that it was quiet... we work in a call center so the phones kept ringing... we just didn't answer for a minute. :-)
Post a Comment