Wednesday 11 November 2015

In Flanders Fields

Happy Remembrance Day to my fellow Canadians (and Veteran's Day to our neighbours down south of the 49th parallel. Saluting each and every veteran out there today - thank you for continuing to fight for our freedom!

Being Canadian, Remembrance Day is symbolized by poppies: Every year, by the end of October, you can buy a poppy by donation. And in elementary school, we would make our own poppy out of construction paper, and each student would glue their poppy onto a their class wreathe. At the Remembrance Day assembly, a student from each class would then place their class's wreathe at the front of the auditorium and we would do a moment of silence for our fallen heroes.

We also learned the poem "In Flanders Field" (which was written by a Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae) and we would recite this poem each year at the assembly. It's well known poem to most Canadians, but I thought I would share this poem today.

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
between the crosses row and row
that mark our place
and in the sky the larks still bravely singing fly

We are the dead
short days ago
we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow
and now we lie
in Flanders Fields

Take up the 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

I know today is a stat holiday... but I hope that everyone took a minute to be grateful for everything that our veterans have done for us. :)

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