Friday, May 22, 2009

In Flanders Fields

Do students memorize poems any more? Beyond primary grades, I mean. Tanny inspired me a few weeks ago--it was "poem-in-your-pocket day," I recall--to memorize some poetry. So for this weekend, I'm working on "In Flanders Fields" by Lt. Col. John McRae.

It's Memorial weekend and our pool opens for the summer! A group of us were talking about our plans...travel, family, picnics. Hurray for Willowville Elementary's Memorial Day parade. It's become a community tradition, but most importantly, it teaches our children that Memorial Day is more than just the beginning of summer. Let's carve a few minutes of this weekend's fun to remember the origin of the holiday and to salute all fallen soldiers.

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.

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