Honoring Our Heroes: The Torch and Poppy Red

[Hootenanny]

In remembrance of all those who bravely gave their lives

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/uploads/images/media/PoppyImages_hand_held_poppy.jpg

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

-We Shall Keep the Faith, by Moira Michael, November 1918

 

[Kalimaa23]

In memory of the soldiers of Europe and her Empires, the US and other nations who died needlesly in a war that should have never been.

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.

 

[hypatia]

A very somber Veterans Day here in my city as the first bronze name plaques from the Middle East conflict were added to our war memorial.


To my special vet..Semper Fi my man!

 

[Danger]

In one hour from now, we'll be assembling at the Legion. I'll be a flag-bearer in the Remembrance Day parade.
Those who serve, and those who have served in the past... we salute you.

 

[Astronuc]

To those who returned, Welcome Home!

To those who didn't return, We miss you!

 

[Evo]

In memory of the soldiers of Europe and her Empires, the US and other nations who died needlesly in a war that should have never been.

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.

That's my favorite. A beautiful rememberance.

 

[selfAdjoint]

I just held my own moment of silence at 11 AM.

Especially let's remember those whose deaths would be denied "meaning" by some historians or commentators because the wars in which they died were the result of some political theory which has been exploded. But the heroic death of a soldier can never be reduced to the purposes of a politician. Peace to you and remembrance, my brothers!

 

[Danger]

the heroic death of a soldier can never be reduced to the purposes of a politician

Echo.
When I had no prospects in my life, I actually applied to go to Viet Nam (as a fighter pilot). I was rejected because, although the US draughted their own right out of the crib, they wouldn't take a 17 year-old Canuk because our age of majority was 18. Once I realized what that entire 'war' was about, I became extremely relieved that I wasn't involved. That does not in any way detract from the (frequently involuntary) sacrifice made by those who died or were incapacitated, or who simply live with horrible memories.
My salutation includes those.

 

[Integral]

This is a Vietnam era song by Kris Kristopherson which seems completely appropriate for the current war.

"Good Christian Soldier"

Not so long ago in Oklahoma the son of an Okie preacher knelt to pray
He said Lord I want to be a Christian soldier just like you
And fight to build a new and better day
Now many years and miles from Oklahoma
That same young Okie boy still kneels to pray
But he don't pray to be no Christian soldier anymore
He just prays to make it through another day
Cause it's hard to be a Christian soldier when you tote a gun
And it hurts to have to watch a grown man cry
But we're playin' cards writin' home havin' lots of fun
Telling jokes and learning how to die

Now the things I've come to know seem so confusin'
It's gettin' hard to tell what's wrong from right
I can't separate the winners from the losers anymore
And I'm thinking of just giving up the fight
Cause it's hard to be a Christian soldier when you tote a gun
And it hurts to have to watch a grown man cry
But we're playin' cards writin' home ain't we hadn't fun
Turning on and learning how to die

Thanks to the soldiers who have fought and died, thanks to the soldier who has fought and survied, thanks to all who have served.

 

[ek]

Remembrance Day is the most important holiday of the year IMO.

To all the Canadians and others who gave their tomorrows for my todays, I thank you.

The torch will indeed be held high.

 

[turbo]

Here is a picture of my father-in-law that just came out in a publication honoring veterans. I knew that he had served in SE Asia in WWII, but there was more that he didn't tell me about. He was in the American Liaison Personnel - the kind of job that might find you accompanying Chinese troops in pursuit of Japanese forces - similar to in-country duties of Special Forces today in Afghanistan and elsewhere. He served in India, Burma, and China.

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