Monday 2 November 2009

Rememberance


It's that time of year again with Rememberance /Armistice day coming up and last night was All Souls, we had been invited to my Mum's church for the All Souls service and altho' I was dreading going I knew I had to and armed myself with a stock of Hankies, surprisingly I didn't really need them and managed to light two candles for my parents without tears, it was a lovely calming service and I feel it helped me by being there and with others in the same position. The other day that always upsets me and I really don't know why is Rememberance day, I think I'm not alone in this tho', it is a very emotional time. In the light of the time of year the theme for the Artful Ideas swap is 'Rememberance' and the atc must have a poppy on it - so here is mine , stamped poppies in abundance and hidden is the first verse of John Macrae's 1915 poem :-
In Flanders Field.

In Flanders Field 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 the 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.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

hiya....aw bless you it was my mums birthday yesterday and its 11months since she left us behind so like you i was dreading sunday but...well i got through so i know where your coming from i lost my dad in the june too so a double wammy...if your interested i have another blog up and running and its all based around feelings...and with your permission id love to pop your lovely peom in there too...its also a place just to lite a candle and leave your thoughts..its called gathered memories within....see what you think it was a spontanious thing to do and still not sure if it was the right thing to do....but if it helps just one person then it was.... lots of lv & hugs sassyxxxxx

Jan said...

Just so lovely Maureen... this poem always evokes great emotion.

Heather said...

Difficult days for so many people Maureen - glad the service helped you. The poppies ATC is lovely and I always find Rememberance Day difficult even though I haven't lost anyone in war. My son was in the Army for many years and served in Northern Ireland and the first Gulf War. Thankfully he came home safely and is now retired but every serviceman killed in action is someone's son and I can imagine how their loved ones feel. It makes me angry that we still haven't found an alternative to killing each other to settle our differences. The poem is beautiful.

CJ STITCHING AND BLOOMS said...

Hello Maureen, Your Poppy ATC is truly very pretty. Love the poem too. Remember Day I reckon is sorta like our Veteran's Day coming up soon. It is always difficult remember the ones we have lost. Hugs Judy