 |
| John McCrae |
This Memorial Day I’d like to share a poem written in remembrance of a fallen soldier.
John McCrae was a Canadian doctor who also fancied himself a bit of a poet. On May 3, 1915 the 42 year old presided over the funeral of a friend who had died at the Second Battle of Ypres, in which they’d fought together.
After the services he wrote the poem In Flanders Fields, reproduced below in the doctors own handwriting.
In Flanders fields the poppies grow
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.
Words & Music by Mike Power 
