In Flanders Fields...
 

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army



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.

In Flanders Fields

Re: In Flanders Fields...
 

I love that quote.

Re: In Flanders Fields...
 

John McCrae was an alumni of Zeta Psi Fraternity at the University of Toronto. His name is etched into the Memorial Wall at Solider's Tower.

Re: Re: In Flanders Fields...
 

You must be a Habs fan.... it's been on their dressing room wall over the enterance to the ice since the war.

ahhh memories of Senior year AP English w/ Bergman. :)

Re: Re: In Flanders Fields...
 

His name is on the memorial wall at UofT, and he is featured in the Memorial Room of Soldier's Tower as well. You can see a memorial plaque dedicated to him as soon as you walk into the Zeta Psi house, as well as a large bronze plaque for the poem itself.

Unofficial lyrics to 'Taps':

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.

Thanks and praise, For our days,
'Neath the sun, Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh.

Re: Re: Re: In Flanders Fields...
 

I don't know what a Hab is. I assume you're talking about a hockey team? Because one of my friends likes some hockey team and I heard the quote through her.

Re: Re: Re: Re: In Flanders Fields...
 

A 'Hab' is a fan of the Montreal Canadiens and is usually shorthand for the team name; originates from 'les habitants', which popularly refers to residents of Montreal.

(To my fellow Canadians/Canadiens on GC... I hope this ignorant Yank's got it right... :D)

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: In Flanders Fields...
 

I have to admit I'm impressed :cool:

Ironically, I'm in the middle of writing a 10 page paper on WWI British poets that features this poem.

But McCrae wasn't British.... of course the distinction was rather slim back then. His poem was required reading throughout the Empire/Commonwealth.... and the speach given by Sir Arthur Currie's speach to the troops in March 1918 was required reading in France - here's a quote:

"To those who fall I say: You will not die but step into immortality. Your mothers will not lament your fate but will be proud to have borne such sons. Your names will be revered forever and ever by your grateful country, and God will take you unto Himself."

I know, but the poem is in the book I'm writing the paper on, so he gets talked about anyway. :p

Re: Re: Re: Re: In Flanders Fields...
 

http://www.canadiens.com/_static/ima...eader_main.gif
Further for my DG sister, I just wanted to put up the logo of the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Team. The little "H" encapsulated within the "C" (for Canadiens) on the logo is for Les Habitants.

I'm impressed too...good job AlphaSigOU. I would only clarify that Les Habitants were the residents of "New France", not merely Montreal.

Today is Rememberance Day.
I'll be attending a ceremony at the university.

Don't forget to observe 2 minutes silence!

I wore the pin today..


http://tinypic.com/l8ls8

I attended the service at U of T today, the first service I've gone to in years.

There was no service of any kind today at Seneca. Not even an announcement over the P.A for a moment of silence...unless you were sitting in the library.
My friend and I had our own moment of reflection at 11am.

That is SAD! You should complain or something. I was also upset that some of the kids (students from neighbourhood schools were also invited to U of T for the service) at the service weren't at least mouthing O Canada. I can understand not singing the hymns or "God Save The Queen", but "O Canada"???!!!!!

High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

P/O John Gillespie Magee, Jr. - RCAF (Sept 1941)
KIA Dec 1941

The school I work at held a Remembrance Day ceremony on Wednesday - it was very moving.