RED POPPIES ARE IN FULL DISPLAY in early June on my morning walks. They make me feel reverent and thankful.
It took a web search to learn more about the symbolism of the red poppy paper boutonniere that we wear on our lapels earlier in the spring. Thanks to the American Legion for coming out in force to remind us through donations to honor those who have served and worn our nation’s uniform.
The red poppy came to symbolize the blood shed during a fierce Belgium battle in WWI following the publication of the wartime poem “In Flanders Fields.” The poem was written by Lt. Col. John McCrae, a Canadian doctor who served on the front lines. He penned this poem after red poppies began appearing above the thousands of grave sites after the deadly battlefield conflict.
The poem includes the lines, “In Flanders fields, the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row, / That mark our place”, and inspired the use of the poppy beginning over 100 years ago as a symbol for remembrance of the ultimate sacrifice.
Thank you.
The full poem can be found at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47380/in-flanders-fields
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