If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 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. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. That mark our place and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row In 1922, the VFW began national distribution programs around the country to support the cause, and in 1924, The American Legion followed suit. On September 27, 1920, The American Legion made the poppy its official flower to memorialize those who fought and died. It would later become one of the most famous works to emerge from the First World War-and a centerpiece at thousands of military memorials. The poem was published in Punch magazine later that year. McCrae responded to the sight by composing a poem on the spot, written from the perspective of those who had perished. It was the spring of 1915, just after a battle that resulted in the deaths of 87,000 Allied soldiers. Allied battle surgeon and poet Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was deeply moved when he saw the otherwise barren meadows blanketed in a brilliant display of color. Yet amongst the rubble and bloodshed, these brilliant beauties were able to bloom. The once bucolic fields around Flanders, Belgium, had been decimated by the bombardments of battle. According to The American Legion, the significance of this flower arose during the Great War. There are so many lovely wildflowers that pop up across this beautiful country, so why the red poppy? These brilliant annuals are resilient little things-they can grow and thrive in the harshest, most unfriendly landscapes, including battlefields. Whether actual flowers are plucked for the occasion or a fabric or crepe paper stand-in is used, the meaning of the red poppy remains clear: It symbolizes the memory of fallen soldiers, and it acts as a way of keeping our attention on the most important part of the holiday, much like thoughtful Memorial Day quotes.īut when did the red poppy became a national symbol of remembrance-and more interestingly, how did this particular bloom become the official Memorial Day flower in the first place? To explain, we'll have to rewind all the way back to the early 1900s. ![]() As the holiday approaches, you'll notice these vivid flowers everywhere: pinned onto clothing, tied onto rearview mirrors, or hanging from windowpanes. In the past century, red poppies became a symbol to represent that ultimate sacrifice. ![]() Kennedy said, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them." (Though those are plenty important!) Above all else, the federal holiday is about commemorating the millions of brave Americans who gave their lives defending the values our country was founded on. For all the lighthearted fun aspects of Memorial Day, the holiday is also a lot more than just cookouts and trips to the beach.
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