In Flanders Fields

Ubiquitous ^ | May 3, 1915 | Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae

[Uncle Miltie]

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.

[binreadin]

Alan Seeger

I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the air—
I have a rendezvous with Death
When Spring brings back blue days and fair.

It may be he shall take my hand
And lead me into his dark land
And close my eyes and quench my breath—
It may be I shall pass him still.
I have a rendezvous with Death
On some scarred slope of battered hill,
When Spring comes round again this year
And the first meadow-flowers appear.

God knows ‘twere better to be deep
Pillowed in silk and scented down,
Where love throbs out in blissful sleep,
Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath,
Where hushed awakenings are dear...
But I’ve a rendezvous with Death
At midnight in some flaming town,
When Spring trips north again this year,
And I to my pledged word am true,
I shall not fail that rendezvous.

[kalee]

May he rest in peace.

[oldvirginian]

Though I have no experience of it, I am without doubt that the soldier in battle is the only person in the world who can truly appreciate a quiet night and a heartfelt song of Hope.

Thank you veterans.
Thank you one and all.
Thank you for all your effort, struggles, your blood, your sweat and tears.

Thank you for the stories of the people, places and things you give us.

Thank you for your friends and comrades who died too young.
When you speak to them today, and you will, tell them they are missed, and they are appreciated.

[VietVet]

“If you break faith with us who die, we shall not rest...”

I think I'll have that chiseled on my gravestone.

[NorthMountain]

Frank Woodruff Buckles (with an 's'); he died in 2011. Time flies.

At age 16:

At age 107:

[kalee]

Thank you for posting the pictures.

[colorado tanker]

Thanks for posting. I never knew that.

[oldweesie]

No, it’’s “blow”.

[BigOrangeI]

I’ve seen a hand written copy of the poem by the author where it is clearly “grow”. Gutenburg says this may be a version done from memory where he changed it or misremembered it. I admit that most copies say “blow” and this may truely be the original.

I actually like “grow” as it mirrors the last line. Maybe McCrae decided he liked it better and changed it?