Poppies in Our Yard on May 27, 2012
Photo by Amy LV
This poem is in the public domain.
Buddy Poppy Given to Hope on May 26, 2012
Photo by Amy LV
Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.
Students - In the United States, Memorial Day, once called Decoration Day, is a day to remember those who have died in service to our country. Today many people will decorate the graves of their loved ones and many others will salute veterans in local parades. Even more people will fly flags outside their homes, thinking about and silently thanking soldiers who have died.
"In Flanders Fields," by John McCrae, is one of America's most famous war poems, and today I am thinking about all who have given their lives in service in war. My poem is just a quiet moment, a sitting and thinking moment in a cemetery or at the base of a statue, or even kneeling before a small flag or in front of a photograph.
My mother's father, Norman Dreyer, fought in World War II, and we were lucky that he came home. Not all were so lucky.
You can read a little about Lieutenant John McCrae, writer of "In Flanders Fields," as well as the history of this poem and the symbolism of the poppy, here. And you can listen to the poem below.
Here is McCrae's poem as a song.
If you would like to download free sheet music for "In Flanders Fields," click here.
No matter our countries, let us all sit quietly for a moment today, honoring the memories of all people worldwide and through history, all people who have died in the name of war. And let us show love.
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