In Flanders Field By John McCrae
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.
With humble hands, we take our hold;
And respectfully depart these hallowed grounds of old.
The torch-casting light illuminates blossoms and crosses along the way;
The songbirds still fearlessly singing at the break of day.
Forget not the faithful’s truth; their message must be told.
We are now torch-bearers. A new sunrise warms each face.
We have grown, become poised, and are strengthened by God’s grace.
With full hearts and Christian community, we step out in faith;
To our homes, our workplaces, our spheres of responsibility.
Your quarrel with the foe be ours now to take:
Fastened by faith in God, His mission we shall not soon forsake.
The torch; we seek to hold it ever-high
Maintained by the love of Christ, whom we glorify.
So, rest now, you weary ones, where poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
I wrote this as a follow-up to the poem, In Flanders Field. It was motivated by an aspiration for our generation to assume their role in carrying the torch of the Christian faith into this new epoch.
Help us, God. Amen.
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep
Psalm 121:1-4
— August 22, 2024