Being a bellweather for good taste, I believe that it is important to pause, in a tasteful manner, on Veteran's Day, and think about those who gave their lives in the service of the country.
Whether is was a real war, or a manufactured war, they did their best, and gave their all, and we shouldn't forget that.
So, I offer you this poem. I had to memorize this thing, back in the days when kids had to memorize poems, and it's always sort of stuck with me.
~~~~~
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.
Celebrating an age gone by, when every sofa had a fabulous painting hanging over it. Plus whatever else I might want to talk about.....
About Me
- Catalina Vel-DuRay
- Seattle, Washington, United States
- Ephemera & etc, delivered in a disjointed way, on an erratic schedule
Links I love
The List (words or things that bother me)
- People who whine about taxes
- Teabaggers
- Shows about life in New Jersey
- furniture with built-in cupholders
- "Contemporary Christian" music
- Children's choirs in commercials
- Boorish behavior
- dumbassery
- death panels
- Sarah Palin (again, and more so)
- ointment
- lifestyle
- upscale
- Blue Dog Democrats
- Birthers
- Anti-census hysteria
- Michelle Bachman
- Glenn Beck
- Michael Weiner-Savage
- Michael Jackson's funeral arrangements
- Carrie Prejean
- The Today Show
- Amanda Knox
- Sarah Palin
- "Amazing Grace"
- bagpipes and/or oboes
- the word "vibrant", particularly when used in conjunction with the words "neighborhood" or "community"
- spiritual opportunists
- "Country Living" magazine
- brass carriage lights (unless they are on an actual carriage)
- new country
- amateur swearing
- fifty cent words when nickel words will do
- manufactured whimsy
- chocoholic
- ostentatious cars
- infomercials
- knick knacks
- leaded glass
- mahanttan transfer
- religious bumper stickers
- billboard clothing
- name droppers
- shabby chic
- anything non-Italian that is given an Italian name in hopes of making it seem classy
- palazo pants
- buffeterias
- divided vegetable dishes
- harrowing radio
- poets who insist on reading their poems out loud
- straws for coffee
1 comment:
Oh, I am so glad to see that someone besides myself remembers the poem and what it stands for.
I remember as a much younger person that they (I'm not sure who exactly 'they' were - but it might have been the VFW) used to sell remembrance poppies in stores around town. Then it seemed like they just stopped with the whole poppy thing here in the States. Pity.
I've always liked the symbolism of them - and it meant even more once I heard that the reason that there were so many poppies growing in Flanders fields was because burial of the dead there made the soil perfect for the flowers to thrive.
Sorry for the morbidity, but glad to have found your blog.
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