Why British and Canadian men wear a red poppy?

[Steven_Draker]

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.

 

- John McCrae

[jackcali]

Thanks, Steven, for posting this as we come up on Veteran's Day. The poetry critics aren't all big fans of "In Flanders Fields", but it certainly captured the popular imagination when it was published during WWI. I remember that throughout his life this poem would bring tears to the eyes of my WWI-veteran grandfather -- the only time I ever saw him shed a tear. I think the images in the opening stanza are breathtaking.

 

God bless and protect our veterans and our active servicemen and women, to whom all of us owe so much.

[Rapaz]

Thanks, Steven, for posting this as we come up on Veteran's Day. The poetry critics aren't all big fans of "In Flanders Fields", but it certainly captured the popular imagination when it was published during WWI. I remember that throughout his life this poem would bring tears to the eyes of my WWI-veteran grandfather -- the only time I ever saw him shed a tear. I think the images in the opening stanza are breathtaking.

 

God bless and protect our veterans and our active servicemen and women, to whom all of us owe so much.

I appreciate it.

 

I'm a war veteran at age 23 and it's still weird to me to actually be considered that.

[leigh.bess.toad]

Thank you Steven. Although my taste in WW1 poets runs along a similar vein: Wilfred Owen. Far more anti-war. And the source of the poetry for what I consider one of the greatest achievements in all of 20th century classical music: Benjamin Britten's War Requiem. I've had the high honor and privilege to sing in it twice and the 1st time was perhaps the most emotional experience of my life considering the circumstances of when it was performed. And the final poem, the poem that provides so much emotional weight to the entire piece is Owen's magnificent poem Strange Meetig

 

It seemed that out of battle I escaped

Down some profound dull tunnel, long since scooped

Through granites which titanic wars had groined.

 

Yet also there encumbered sleepers groaned,

Too fast in thought or death to be bestirred.

Then ,as I probed them, one sprang up, and stared

With piteous recognition in fixed eyes,

Lifting distressful hands, as if to bless.

And by his smile, I knew that sullen hall, -

By his dead smile I knew we stood in Hell.

 

With a thousand pains that vision's face was grained;

Yet no blood reached there from the upper ground,

And no guns thumped, or down the flues made moan.

'Strange friend,' I said, 'here is no cause to mourn.'

'None,' said that other, 'save the undone years,

The hopelessness. Whatever hope is yours,

Was my life also; I went hunting wild

After the wildest beauty in the world,

Which lies not calm in eyes, or braided hair,

But mocks the steady running of the hour,

And if it grieves, grieves richlier than here.

For by my glee might many men have laughed,

And of my weeping something had been left,

Which must die now. I mean the truth untold,

The pity of war, the pity war distilled.

Now men will go content with what we spoiled,

Or, discontent, boil bloody, and be spilled.

They will be swift with swiftness of the tigress.

None will break ranks, though nations trek from progress.

Courage was mine, and I had mystery,

Wisdom was mine, and I had mastery:

To miss the march of this retreating world

Into vain citadels that are not walled.

Then, when much blood had clogged their chariot-wheels,

I would go up and wash them from sweet wells,

Even with truths that lie too deep for taint.

I would have poured my spirit without stint

But not through wounds; not on the cess of war.

Foreheads of men have bled where no wounds were.

 

I am the enemy you killed, my friend.

I knew you in this dark: for so you frowned

Yesterday through me as you jabbed and killed.

I parried; but my hands were loath and cold.

Let us sleep now...'

 

I cannot help but read that poem and flash back to my first performance of this work. If you don't know it, learn it. If you don't know Owen, find out about him. Almost 40 years after my first performance of the War Requiem and the poetry of Owen still haunt me and I carry the message and warning of Owen with me always.

[leigh.bess.toad]

I appreciate it.

 

I'm a war veteran at age 23 and it's still weird to me to actually be considered that.

 

Rapaz -- I would want to thank you for your service. I for one greatly appeciate the sacrifice and commitment of young men such as yourself to defend us. Thank you!

[Guest Merlin]

Armistice Day was meaningful at one time, much less so when it became Veterans day.

[Diverdan]

THANK YOU, STEVEN AND LEE,

Unfortunately so many folks these days forget the sacrifices that were made in past wars, especially given the current conflicts. I have lost many friends and relatives over the years and currently have 5 nephews serving in the Army, Navy and National Guard. All have served in Iraq in the past couple of years, and fortunately all have survived without injury. I have lost several relatives in WWI and WWII and a cousin who was severly injured in Korea, but none in Vietnam fortunately. It is good to be reminded of these events through poetry and song. May God bless the memory of all who have fallen in the service of their country.

[jackcali]

I think, Merlin, it has to do with the change of generations. Veterans Day, or Armistice Day, was important when there were still many alive (whether or not veterans) to whom the end of WWI was memorable. As that generation aged and died off, though, and as WWII erupted, Memorial Day became more important as it commemorates the dead of all wars.

 

Rapaz, I hope you're proud of your service. You have at 23 already given more to this country than I have or will in my entire life -- no matter how much I complain about the huge tax bills I pay every year. Thank you.

[ted]

Actually, we used to do that here in the US too, or am I the only one old enough to remember that way back when. Not sure why it ever stopped down here, or what organization actually gave them out. Maybe as Merlin suggests it had to do with the change from Armistice Day which was specific to WWI to Veterans which is not

[Mark Gordon]

Having spent most of my life in the UK and Canada, I hadn't actually realized that wearing a poppy around Remembrance Day wasn't a global phenomenon. You see loads of these beautiful flowers growing in the well maintained war cemeteries in France. In Britain, they have nasty paper ones; in Canada we have nice felt ones. There's one on my jacket now. By wearing it, I not only honour those who lost their lives in war, but also honour the memory of my grandfathers, both of whom were veterans.

[uwsman2]

For a very moving rendition of "In Flanders Fields," check out the song made from that poem by Charles Ives. I choke up every time I hear it. And Veterans Day brings to mind my deceased dad, who served in WWII and was an officer of his local chapter of the China/Burma/Indian Veterans Association. (I cherish a video of him relating his wartime recollections at a meeting of his "basha" wearing one of those funny paper hats the vets wore.)

[Toulouse]

Thanks.

 

I once read:

 

"If you cannot stand behind our brave warriors on the battlefield, try standing in front of them."

 

Happy Veterans Day to all who have served. Thank you for your courage and dedication. Thank you for our freedom. We can’t say it enough.

[cany10011]

Steven, Thanks for sharing. As a canadian living now in nyc, i always feel a twinge of nostalgia as the author who penned this poem, John McRae was canadian. Thank you.

[Steven_Draker]

http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2014/11/11/london-poppies1111-001-d397f3ac2dbb094fc83b4356da8e90a18137aebd-s6-c30.jpg

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/09/12/1410516116218_Image_galleryImage_LONDON_ENGLAND_SEPTEMBER_.JPG

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/09/12/1410518370901_Image_galleryImage_LONDON_ENGLAND_SEPTEMBER_.JPG

 

http://enjoyfestivals.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Rememberance-Day-Wallpaper.jpg

[gallahadesquire]

I appreciate it.

 

I'm a war veteran at age 23 and it's still weird to me to actually be considered that.

 

Thank you for your service to our country!

[Steven_Draker]

[video=youtube;vUJNc3tdDak]

[Rudynate]

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.

 

- John McCrae[/color]

 

I haven't seen it in years and years, but the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) used to distribute red poppies on Veterans/Armistice Day in the US. They called them "buddy poppies." They gave you one if you gave them a small donation. In the small town where I spent my childhood, nobody didn't wear a buddy poppy on Armistice Day.

[justaguy]

Rudy, I'd forgotten about that. I haven't seen them do that since I was a kid.

[+ quoththeraven]

In my experience, poppies are distributed in return for donations around Memorial Day, not Veterans Day.

[Rudynate]

In my experience, poppies are distributed in return for donations around Memorial Day, not Veterans Day.

 

You're right. My memory deceived me. I checked the VFW web site and they do indeed distribute buddy poppies at Memorial Day.