…and in the morning, we will remember them.
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 high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
1915
I hope you can find time to watch the following video. The songs are sung by three soldiers who are currently serving in Afghanistan and the accompanying slides show images from the conflict zone.
This poem by John Hawkhead quite poignantly draws parallels between past an current conflicts.
Helmand
Night on the cold plain,
invisible sands lift,
peripheral shadows stir,
space between light and dark
shrouding secrets;
old trades draped grey.
Here too poppies fall,
petals blown on broken ground,
seeds scattered on stone
and this bright bloom,
newly cropped,
leaves pale remains,
fresh lines cut;
the old sickle wind
sharp as yesterday.
John Hawkhead
2009
Moving tribute CherryPie
Thank You Angus x
Thank you for my family members who fought next to the British in WW2. We remember them.
It is important that we remember them all x
A beautiful tribute Cherie
Glad you like it
No one has any trouble with the tenth line?
Just asking.
As someone who believes in avoiding confrontation (there is always a better way to solve disagreements) I do have a problem with the thought of keeping up a quarrel.
But there again I haven’t been trained as a Soldier or been in the heat of a battle where I thought I was defending my country…
I just knew you’d do something beautiful.
Thanks
We have to give those serving – past and present – our due respect!
Good answer, and thanks for that, CherryPie.
I think about offering a chance for discourse.
Discourse can lead to much more rewarding outcomes
Wow! I am blown away by this poetic post and tearjerker video.
You have outdone yourself, Cherie.
But one day is not enough for our brave selfless soldiers who keep us safe, is it? We should remember[and respect ]our vets and soldiers everyday.
I LOVED the video.
Thank you.
Glad you liked it
Compiling this post made me cry xx
I do think of our soldiers each and every day…
Seeing the video made me cry[in fact I came back to watch it again, I was so moved]
* Don’t tell anyone. I have a rep to think of.
Your secret is safe with me
What really bothers me is that so many of these soldiers are no more than kids, who should be engaging in nothing more serious than work,dancing, dating…not risking their lives and limbs for soem politicians wars[that THEIR sons don't fight in] only to kiss and make up after the hostilities and funerals of these mothers’s sons.
I could never let anyone I loved fight in a war[ I would tie him to my bed until the end of hostilities].
I think it was always the way that so many of the soldiers were kids. Reading accounts of WW1 it was very much the same.
Some of my ancestors were stopped from signing up by there mothers and one was even told to take back the Kings shilling after he had enlisted.
When you see whats going on in Afghanistan it just leaves you with one question…………………………..
WHY?
Well done CherryPie.
The question is why???
The official line on the MoD website differs from what is published in the press and neither seem a good enough reason to me!
Incredibly moving, Cherie. But makes one even more angrier that these disciplined, hard-working, talented and above all courageous young men are being asked to do the impossible by a self-serving bunch of ‘branleurs’.
It does indeed make you wonder doesn’t it?!
I think that is the first swear word on my blog