November 11

[Spoonwelder]

All through my youth we always went to school and on Remembrance Day (Nov 11 in Canada) there was always an assembly, a moment of silence and a reading of arguably the second most famous poem in the world (after Roses are Red) 'In Flanders Field'. I get a little grumpy when I see that it has become just another statutory holiday where kids go home and play Xbox or some such all day.

My son (7yo) will be learning this poem that day and we will have a long chat about the sacrifices our forefathers made (in body, soul and mind) to keep our world free of tyranny as well as the sacrifices that continue to be made by modern day soldiers in service to their country.

I am not a hawk nor a dove. I hate war but hallow the warrior.

I'll be taking a moment for reflection this coming Sunday - I hope you do to.


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.

- J. McCrae

[Gleep_Wurp]

cool poem never heard it before.
it is the duty of the living to honor the sacrifices of the dead.
semper fi

[Gkar]

cool poem never heard it before.

I find this sad considering you appear to be an American.

The reason fake poppies (originally silk poppies) were adopted by the American Legion as a rememberence symbol after WW1 was this poem (and the american woman it inspired to create the movement that later spread throughout most of the commonwealth as well)

The poem was written by a Canadian doctor who, when he volunteered for military service in WW1, rather than accept a safer medical core assignment instead asked to be sent to the front lines as a gunner/medic. It was in those front lines that John McCrae wrote those words, looking out over the scorched and torn up earth that wouldn't support anything but graves and poppies.

[Gleep_Wurp]

I find this sad considering you appear to be an American.

The reason fake poppies (originally silk poppies) were adopted by the American Legion as a rememberence symbol after WW1 was this poem (and the american woman it inspired to create the movement that later spread throughout most of the commonwealth as well)

The poem was written by a Canadian doctor who, when he volunteered for military service in WW1, rather than accept a safer medical core assignment instead asked to be sent to the front lines as a gunner/medic. It was in those front lines that John McCrae wrote those words, looking out over the scorched and torn up earth that wouldn't support anything but graves and poppies.

and i too am a vet. i dont know what they teach you guys in school in canada.but here in the states we are taught a lot of non truths and falsehoods. Christopher Columbus is a good example, he was not a "good" man but most likely a slaver and did enslave peoples from the west indies. i have bought many of the silk poppies and never knew thats what they stood for.yes it is very sad (my grandfather served in ww2). i was taught to honor our flag but if you try to carry it now you can be arrested in some places because it might offend people. how crazy is that? on american soil even. i dont care what country you are from, your flag should be treated with respect.

[holfrar]

This has been around for a while, but will post anyway. i am sure most folks who are/have been in the armed services will agree

THE FINAL INSPECTION

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?'

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep,
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'

[Hobgoblin]

This has been around for a while, but will post anyway. i am sure most folks who are/have been in the armed services will agree

THE FINAL INSPECTION

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?'

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep,
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'

this is something i want to remember.
Im not sure if you said whether or not you served.

If you did, many thanks to you.

I know bekki and leslie west served.

Thank you guys.

hob

[holfrar]

this is something i want to remember.
Im not sure if you said whether or not you served.

If you did, many thanks to you.

I know bekki and leslie west served.

Thank you guys.

hob

Sadly no i have never had the honor of serving. when i was younger i was too full of myself and such an .. er.. i will just put idiot as most other words wouldn't bypass the filter. Then as i grew older i started to suffer back problems, which manifested into the chronic problem i have now.

But my Dad's dad served in the army, my Mum's dad died in the trenches (both WWII) my uncle was in the RAF and both his sons, another uncle was in the army and an aunt in the women's auxiliary.

So plenty of family 'history' as such, and though i don't always agree where our leaders send our troops i am always thankful for the troops themselves and the jobs they do.

[Bekki]

Here is a version of "In Flanders Fields" we use
In or Veterans Day event...

Sunday Nov. 11th @3:00pm and 10:00pm on Ghallanda
Tower of the Sov. Host.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsOsd...e_gdata_player

And here is a link to Leslie_West's thread with all the details...

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=396591

/Salute.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Bekki's on it. Last year, we put together this unique version of this incredible poem, Flanders Field, for those that joined us for our Veteran's Day ceremony on Ghallamda. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etCU3...layer_embedded

If you're free on this coming November 11, come on over and join us, and bring friends. We will gather, Sunday, November 11th, at 3 PM EST and again at 10:00 PM EST, on Ghallanda, in House Deneith, in the Temple of the Sovereign Host.

/Salute

[Spoonwelder]

Thanks Holfrar for the poem you posted....lost for words.

I remembered LeslieWest and Bekki's events from prior years (but they are on a different server than mine) - part of my reason for posting was I knew this community was definitely supportive of the armed services.

My grandfather served in WW2 - he was on the Hood but his tour was up weeks/months (my memory of him telling the story is unclear) before the Hood was sent after the Bismark. He was lucky in that but he was indelibly stamped by his time at war. He was a good man but there was a darkness in him that came out once in awhile. I have a feeling the current kids are getting disconnected from war - it is just a game to them in many ways. I want to make sure my children understand the sacrifices (as I said in body, mind, soul) made by those that serve.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Thanks Holfrar for the poem you posted....lost for words.

I remembered LeslieWest and Bekki's events from prior years (but they are on a different server than mine) - part of my reason for posting was I knew this community was definitely supportive of the armed services.

My grandfather served in WW2 - he was on the Hood but his tour was up weeks/months (my memory of him telling the story is unclear) before the Hood was sent after the Bismark. He was lucky in that but he was indelibly stamped by his time at war. He was a good man but there was a darkness in him that came out once in awhile. I have a feeling the current kids are getting disconnected from war - it is just a game to them in many ways. I want to make sure my children understand the sacrifices (as I said in body, mind, soul) made by those that serve.

Spoon, your grandfather, like so many during, before and after, have and will always be the thread that holds our fabric... our culture... and our freedoms intact. Since some of today's youth "don't get" the sacrifice of a soldier and his family like you've said, many, many more I think today appreciate them like never before. I think the internet and social media has helped a great deal. But so much more can be done. It just takes someone to stand up. This is why we do our events. We just want to honor them and say thank you to those long forgotten, human being to human being.

This year, we will be doing a piece on World War II in fact. Roll a toon on g-land and stop by and say hello. We'd be honored to have your company and remember your grandfather, together.

[Gkar]

OP, I also grew up in one of those Canadian elementary schools that made rememberence day an event at the school. It was however already changing as I went through school, but by highschool it was a fight to get the faculty to agree to even a minute's silence when the time came. It's a shame really. I guess with most of the WW1 and WW2 vets gone people stopped caring. But there are still wars out there, soldiers at risk, and somehow people don't seem to care about them as much anymore. I'm disappointed.

On the other hand, Canada is also the home of the Highway of Heros. Every Canadian soldier for a number of years has been returned to the same military base in Canada, then driven down the same highway to the same morgue for autopsy in Toronto, ON. The people, rather spontaneously, started showing up along the route to pay their respects. If memory serves it started in 2008, and peaked in 2009-2010, but to this day people still wait on those bridges, every time. These people make me proud to be a Canadian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWwB9NwDpq0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3IutxvltBM

[zarthak]

all through my youth we always went to school and on remembrance day (nov 11 in canada) there was always an assembly, a moment of silence and a reading of arguably the second most famous poem in the world (after roses are red) 'in flanders field'. I get a little grumpy when i see that it has become just another statutory holiday where kids go home and play xbox or some such all day.

My son (7yo) will be learning this poem that day and we will have a long chat about the sacrifices our forefathers made (in body, soul and mind) to keep our world free of tyranny as well as the sacrifices that continue to be made by modern day soldiers in service to their country.

I am not a hawk nor a dove. I hate war but hallow the warrior.

I'll be taking a moment for reflection this coming sunday - i hope you do to.


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.

- j. Mccrae

+1