In Flanders Fields

John McCrae

   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.

Commentary

I like the marching rhythm of this poem - short, insistent and conveying a mixture of inspiration and command. The imagery of the poppies in the field (esp. in the last stanza) is really beautiful, echoing the contrast between the exhuberance of Nature and the solemnity of Death, which the soldiers on the lush fields in Ypres must have felt very strongly. I suggested this poem about a week ago and have since seen “Saving Private Ryan”, and that has increased the poignancy of it somewhat for me.

Excerpts from:

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/historical/firstwar/mccrae.htm

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

“In Flanders Fields” was first published in England’s “Punch” magazine in December, 1915. Within months, this poem came to symbolize the sacrifices of all who were fighting in the First World War. […]
In April 1915, John McCrae was in the trenches near Ypres, Belgium, in the area traditionally called Flanders. Some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War took place there during that was known as the Second Battle of Ypres [considered a turning point for the Allies in WW1]. […]
Before he died, John McCrae had the satisfaction of knowing that his poem had been a success. Soon after its publication, it became the most popular poem on the First World War. It was translated into many languages and used on billboards advertising the sale of the first Victory Loan Bonds in Canada in
1917. Designed to raise $150,000,000, the campaign raised $400,000,000. […]
In part because of the poem’s popularity, the poppy was adopted as the Flower of Remembrance for the war dead of Britain, France, the United States, Canada and other Commonwealth countries.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

— Sam

The Wondering Minstrels, poem #11 · 20 February 1999

Guest poem submitted by Sameer Siruguri

Fair use

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From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.

Ravi Mundoli · 21 February 1999

Nice poem. I’m doing a course on World War I and have heard several accounts of the battles at Flanders. The conditions were inhuman and its a wonder anyone actually did any fighting. The middle stanza, methinks, is very effective.

Kiddo

Martin DeMello · 11 November 1999

Just came across this followup to McCrae’s poem:

‘Reply to In Flanders Fields’

Oh! Sleep in peace where poppies grow;
The torch your failing hands let go
Was caught by us, again held high,
A beacon light in Flanders sky
That dims the stars to those below,
You are our dead, you held the foe,
And ere the poppies cease to blow,
We’ll prove our faith in you who lie
In Flanders Fields.

Oh! rest in peace, we quickly go
To you who bravely died, and know
In other fields was heard the cry,
For freedom’s cause, of who you lie,
In Flanders Fields.

As in rumbling sound, to and fro,
The lightning flashes, sky aglow,
The mighty hosts appear, and high
Above the din of battle cry,
Scarce heard amidst the guns below,
Are fearless hearts who fight the foe,
And guard the place where poppies grow.
Oh! sleep in peace , all you who lie
In Flanders Fields.

And still the poppies gently blow,
Between the crosses, row on row,
The larks, still bravely soaring high,
Are singing now their lullaby
To you who sleep where poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

– John Mitchell

- m.

PrincessGM13 · 15 November 2001

I love the poem In Flanders Field. We had to sing it in our Veteran’’s Day program at school for choir. Everyone thought it was so pretty. Even other children and they’re usually dreading listening to the choir sing. At first nobody in the choir liked to sing it but then we grew to like it. Even the boys and popular kids. Well, I have to go. Bye.

Gerri

caracox · 7 January 2002

From Cara Cox

A wonderful timeless poem. One to ponder and think. I remember learning this at school as a student 50 years ago and taught to my students as a teacher. It never fails to move me to tears, especially when a few years ago I was privileged to tour the Western Front in France and Belgium. Visiting Ieper and the Menin gate, the ghosts of Will Longstaff’s painting ‘The Menin Gate at Midnight’ seemed to reach out and say “We are the dead, Short days ago we lived …“This poem had stood the test and has not failed to stir the hearts of people who remember.

Cara Cox

tigger2 · 3 June 2003

I seem to remember another “Flanders Fields” “In Flanders Fields the poppies bloom, and fit full flashes light the gloom—–” I read this in school back in the 40’s. Dose anyone remember it??

Martin DeMello · 4 November 2003

My e-mail group have been discussing war for the past few days and Rhona sent the above to us. I had not come across it before and having read it I wanted to cry. I think it is a beautiful poem to remind us of the terrible fuitility and senseless waste of war.

Leoni Burke

student183 · 10 November 2003

These listings may help understand where other poetic responses to Major John McCrae’s “In Flanders…” fit in:

“IN FLANDERS FIELDS”

In Flanders field 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 with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

REPLY TO “IN FLANDERS FIELDS”
by John Mitchell

Oh! sleep in peace where poppies grow;
The torch your falling hands let go
Was caught by us, again held high,
A beacon light in Flanders sky
That dims the stars to those below.
You are our dead, you held the foe,
And ere the poppies cease to blow,
We’ll prove our faith in you who lie
In Flanders Fields.
Oh! rest in peace, we quickly go
To you who bravely died, and know
In other fields was heard the cry,
For freedom’s cause, of you who lie,
So still asleep where poppies grow,

In Flanders Fields.
As in rumbling sound, to and fro,
The lightning flashes, sky aglow,
The mighty hosts appear, and high
Above the din of battle cry,
Scarces heard amidst the guns below,
Are fearless hearts who fight the foe,
And guard the place where poppies grow.
Oh! sleep in peace, all you who lie

In Flanders Fields.
And still the poppies gently blow,
Between the crosses, row by row.
The larks, still bravely soaring high,
Are singing now their lullaby
To you who sleep where poppies grow

In Flanders Fields.

ANOTHER REPLY TO

“IN FLANDERS FIELDS”
by J.A. Armstrong
In Flanders Fields the cannons boom,
And fitful flashes light the gloom;
While up above, like eagles, fly
The fierce destroyers of the sky;
With stains the earth wherein you lie
Is redder than the poppy bloom,
In Flanders Fields.
Sleep on, ye brave! The shrieking shell,
The quaking trench, the startling yell,
The fury of the battle hell
Shall wake you not, for all is well;
Sleep peacefully, for all is well.
Your flaming torch aloft we bear,
With burning heart and oath we swear
To keep the faith, to fight it through,
To crush the foe, or sleep with you,

In Flanders Fields.

AMERICA’S ANSWER
by R.W. Lilliard

Rest ye in peace, ye Flanders dead.
The fight that ye so bravely led
We’ve taken up. And we will keep
True faith with you who lie asleep
With each a cross to mark his bed,

In Flanders fields.
Fear not that ye have died for naught.
The torch ye threw to us we caught.
Ten million hands will hold it high,
And Freedom’s light shall never die!
We’ve learned the lesson that ye taught

In Flanders fields.

from

cfburton · 8 June 2004

this poem is extraordinary…i have a friend who recently lost his son to a senseless act of violence….his son was a West Point graduate and fought in Kosovo….but was killed in a drive by shooting in the town where he was stationed….his father and grandmother love this poem and i was wondering where i could get two (2) copies of it so i may frame them and give them to both of them as a rememberence…if there is any way i can get the copies could you please let me know….i would appreciate it very much…thank you for finding this wonderful piece with the extra stansas…i await hearing from you.

carolyn burton

Robrecht Eggermont · 10 April 2005

I think it’s a very beautiful poem… it expresses the cruelty and the feelings of the soldiers who fought in that terrible war…I hope that there won’t be a third WW…that the cruelty and the grief of many people may not fare with the passage of time…

Robrecht Eggermont

pukgi · 10 April 2005

pietjes

pukgi · 10 April 2005

The poem, In Flanders Fields, is a beautiful and heartfelt observation. Here is short piece of writing.

Smell you later!!! Peace

pukgi · 10 April 2005

Yeee everybody, it’s a nice poem. With this poem you understand wath happened in this war. It makes me crying.

Smell you later!!!

John & Denise · 27 January 2008

Hello
I am looking for a Cara Cox from Austrailia, with whom I had been sharing some family history.

John