Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Ruby Red/Rednesday: Poppy Day




Yesterday, 25 April was Anzac Day .
It commemorates all New Zealanders and Australians killed in war and also honours returned servicemen and women.
The date itself marks the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers – the Anzacs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915.
The poppy's significance to Remembrance Day is a result of Canadian military physician John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields. The poppy emblem was chosen because of the poppies that bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their red colour an appropriate symbol for the bloodshed of trench warfare
Every year, the Vets and their families sell these poppy flowers. When I was in primary school in Borneo, we used to buy them. My teacher told me that the money was  ex-Services and Dependants. Later, when Sarawak became part of Malaysia, they stopped selling poppies. feathers were sold instead.                                                                                                 
In my ESOL adult class, I teach ANZAC day to the new immigrants. I was glad to have L and E who lived through the war to assist me. "Lest we forget" doesn't mean as much as those who lived through those horrible days.   

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.


http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

                                                                                                                                     

11 comments:

Hootin Anni said...

Sweet. I love the poem too.

Here's my link: My Ruby Tuesday Do stop by if you get a chance.

Roan said...

I like the poem. Perfect post for Ruby Tuesday.

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

It seems that many countries have this poppy tradition.

THE SEEKER OF RUBY AND RED

The seeker of ruby and red
Will not let green go to her head;
Instead she will seek
Her senses to pique
With cherry and crimson instead.


© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher

Fountain and Red Building

The JR said...

I remember something similar when I was in school where we would buy a paper flower.

Felisol said...

The poppy tradition is also very much alive in England too. I think they wear poppies in Nowember to honor the fallen and celebrate the victory og 1918. The Royal Family will alwasy attend a service, wearing the red poppies.
I've never read the beautiful poem about the poppies of Flandern, even though I've heard the story.
Thank you so much for sharing.
This is a major reason for me to participate in memes; I'm learning so much from people all over the world.
Today my horizon has become a little bit wider.

eden said...

Nice poem. Love it.

kassidy's notes said...

this is new to me and thank you for sharing. i love learning especially histoy related.

have a wonderful day. visiting from ruby tuesday.

Kim, USA said...

One of the flowers that made me look closer are Poppies. They looks like crape papers and they came with different colors, just beautiful!

The cross

Ginny Hartzler said...

We sell the poppies here, too. On Memorial Day. And they look pretty much like yours. I have always loved the Flanders Field poem.

lina@women's perspectives said...

It's my first time to know about about Poppy Day...

Mona said...

Thanks for sharing about this tradition learned from you.