Remember.

In honor of Remembrance Day, and the soldiers who both gave their lives to our country's freedom, or fought and survived the battle, I proudly wear a poppy, and present to you two poems - the classic "Flander's Fields" seen everywhere in Canada at this time of year, but still so poignant, and another favorite war poem of mine.

In Flanders Fields
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 hight.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
(Robert McCrae)

An Irish Airman Foresees His Death
I know that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier tahn before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.
(W.B. Yeats)


We Remember.