Monday, May 30, 2016

The story of the poppies

Blood red poppies have been flowers of remembrance for American soldiers killed in battle since World War I. Soldiers came home bearing stories of cold barren fields transformed in the spring by fields of wild, bright red poppies. The poppy became the symbol for lives sacrificed in battle, fields covered in bright blood spilled, and also a reminder of hope, that those lives would not be lost in vain.

The earliest mention of poppies was in a war poem by physicist Lt. Col. John McCrae titled "In Flanders Fields". McCrae wrote the poem in 1915 after presiding over the funeral of a friend killed in the Second Battle of Ypres.

Growing up, we'd hold Memorial Day presentations and recite the poem. To this day, I can recite it from memory. And you could always find members of the American Legion posts and VFW posts handing them out to people in front of stores and government offices. Sadly, we've lost touch with the meaning of the red poppies and few folks understand why strangers are handing them little paper flowers. No, they aren't asking for donations. No, they aren't trying to recruit you for a cult. All they are asking is that you take the flower and remember.

The last generations who truly knew the meaning of sacrifice on the battlefield had started to die off. Participation in groups like the American Legion and VFW had started to dwindle. We now have a new generation of soldiers, families who know the pain of ultimate sacrifice, but do we still remember the way we used to? Will they?

The poem is 101 years old. And just as poignant.




8 comments:

Timbotoo said...

Looking at the state of the west today, it seems like we have broken faith with those who died in Flanders fields.

Anonymous said...

We have lots of poppies in our yard. Great for the bees and they come in colors other than red.

I think some people are pushing for that disconnect because knowing your history discourages totalitarionism.

Exile1981

Anonymous said...

thank you for this

Anonymous said...

Around here the Canadian Vets hand out red poppies. The American Vets hand out blue forget-me-nots.

Anonymous said...

I think you meant physician or surgeon rather than physicist, Angel.

Al_in_Ottawa

Here's what the Brits did in 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMxF3L2G0-4

Anonymous said...

a lovely, and timely, reminder...Thank YOU,Wise Angel One....

Anonymous said...

Red European Poppy only sprouts after the soil has been turned/churned and fertilized. WW1 battlefields were blood red for years. The Poppy also symbolizes an end to pain. Something the trench hell of WW1 produced in hellish quantity.---Ray

oldawg said...

Thank you from a man old enough to remember the reason.