For The Fallen

In honor of Veterans’ Day, this space will honor all service men and women. Whether or not you agree with current wars and/or you condone the violence and underground or “unseen” wars going on around the world, there is a certain honor in being brave when called to duty. Today’s poem was written during WWI, perhaps a more innocent time in terms of modern warfare and, without a doubt, a much more brutal one. In 1915 a young soldier faced trenches, disease, brutality before modern medicine or transportation, and so many were sacrificed. This poem was written by a Canadian physician, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae on May 3, 1915. He had just seen his best friend blown to pieces the day before.

While this is a famous poem, it’s nice for me to revisit the language. It’s written in the form of a rondeau, famously named after a French style but I love the form and I love that this poem reminded me so much of this form of writing. It’s comprised of three stanzas and the rhyme scheme is (1) A A B B A (2) A A B with refrain: C (3) A A B B A—ending with refrain C, both refrains are identical to the first line. This form is so alluringly cool and effective. It reminds me why I love writers.  Please note the image of the published poem in McCrae's own handwriting at the end.  Without further ado:

In Flanders Fields

by Captain John D. McCrae

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.