By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
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.
In Flanders Fields, was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a surgeon attached to the 1st Field Artillery Canadian Army. McCrae wrote the poem while distraught over the death of his former student and fellow surgeon, killed while they were serving together in France in 1915. McCrae himself was killed in action at a later date.
For over 75 years now the Veterans of Foreign Wars has used the red poppy as a memorial flower. Remember if you will, when you see the Veterans seeking donations for their small red flowers, the poppies are all assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals. Any money that is raised through these donations provides compensation to the Veterans who assemble the poppies, provides financial assistance in maintaining state and national veterans' rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the VFW National Home for orphans and widows of our nations Veterans. That's a lot for a little flower.
So the next time you see my fellow Veterans with their poppies, drop some money in their can and support them. They supported you.
Old Chief Sends,
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