In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
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.
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
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.
by John McCrae.
This poem was written about World War I by a Lt. Colonel in the army after he watched his friend die. A very tragic about war and death. Apparently poppies grew with abundance in this field because the soil was so disturbed by the killings and the burying of the dead. An awful thought indeed.
I was in Anderson Nursery and Garden the other day and saw a packet of poppy seeds and the color was "Flander's Field". I just thought it was interesting that a poem documenting a young man's death has influences the vernacular of horticulture. Also, the red poppy is the icon of Remembrance Day (according to Wikipedia), I'm not sure if this is attributed to the poem or not but none the less an interesting tidbit. I ended up buying the Flander's Field poppies but mostly out of nostalgia, when I was very young my dad would recite this poem in his deep unwavering voice. It was haunting then thinking about all the people who gave up their lives for a cause...it's even more haunting now with the understanding that most military men and women are younger than me and so many young lives are lost for causes that are hazy at best and unnecessary at worst. Wow, this took an unexpected political bend...anyway, I haven't planted the seeds yet but they are the exact color of this poppy...maybe it is also a Flander's Field poppy.
In Ligthroom, I cropped out some of the fence background, darkened the background, and saturated the red and green hues a little to help them 'pop'. For a link to this picture on my Etsy page go here.
As a side note, every time I typed 'poppy' in this post I first typed 'poopy' and then had to go back and fix it. I thought it was funny every single time.
I was in Anderson Nursery and Garden the other day and saw a packet of poppy seeds and the color was "Flander's Field". I just thought it was interesting that a poem documenting a young man's death has influences the vernacular of horticulture. Also, the red poppy is the icon of Remembrance Day (according to Wikipedia), I'm not sure if this is attributed to the poem or not but none the less an interesting tidbit. I ended up buying the Flander's Field poppies but mostly out of nostalgia, when I was very young my dad would recite this poem in his deep unwavering voice. It was haunting then thinking about all the people who gave up their lives for a cause...it's even more haunting now with the understanding that most military men and women are younger than me and so many young lives are lost for causes that are hazy at best and unnecessary at worst. Wow, this took an unexpected political bend...anyway, I haven't planted the seeds yet but they are the exact color of this poppy...maybe it is also a Flander's Field poppy.
In Ligthroom, I cropped out some of the fence background, darkened the background, and saturated the red and green hues a little to help them 'pop'. For a link to this picture on my Etsy page go here.
As a side note, every time I typed 'poppy' in this post I first typed 'poopy' and then had to go back and fix it. I thought it was funny every single time.
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