Roadside Poppies by Pamela Kelly

We’ll be taking today, Remembrance Day, off, to, yes, remember the sacrifices made by those who fought in the wars, whether cyber or IRL. It has been estimated that as much as 20% of Canada’s adult male population died in WW I, and your humble editor, whose first language was Walloon, was born not far from Ypres, which was the scene of the bloodiest battle in history (you may have also heard of the battle of Passchendaele). To commemorate this day, we re-post John McRae’s immortal 1915 rondeau In Flanders Fields.

May we all have no such losses to remember in future.

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.

Featured Image Roadside Poppies by Pamela Kelly on Flickr

Categories: Army, Canada, Cyberwar, Freedom, NATO, Navy, News, Poetry, Politics, War