By: Lieutenant Colonel John 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.
About The Author
Summary
- In Flanders fields, marked by crosses and poppies, symbolize the graves of fallen soldiers.
- The poem reflects on the contrast between the serene sky and the harsh reality of war below.
- The fallen soldiers, referred to as “the Dead,” once experienced the joys of life and love.
- The poem urges the living to continue the fight against the enemy and carry on the torch of freedom.
- Breaking faith with the fallen would result in an eternal unrest, even as poppies continue to grow in Flanders fields.
