Rememberance Day....Lest We Forget

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.

- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

Flanders, 1915

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The Menin Gate Reply

We have not broken faith with you who died

For just today 1,000 cried, when at your Menin Gate

They heard the Last Post's plaintive cry

Where high above the doves of peace did fly

And 90 years on, your ode was heard again so tested and so tried.

We also read the names of those who last felt dawn 90 years ago

And held one minute's silence in that sunset's glow

And tended those loved graves in which you lie

In Flanders fields.

We've also settled that quarrel with your foe

Using the torch your failing hands did throw

And throughout Europe proclaimed a peace on high

To honour the noble cause for which your fought so hard

and died.

So now, you can all deeply sleep - resting in peace - where

poppies grow

in Flanders fields.

- Jonathon King

Flanders, 2008

_________________________

At the 11th hour,

of the 11th day,

of the 11th month...

We will remember them

Lest We Forget