The red poppy matters because memory matters. “In Flanders Fields” threw a torch from the dead to the living, and Moina Michael answered with “We Shall Keep the Faith.” That is the real Memorial Day covenant. We do not merely mourn the fallen. We inherit their duty. We keep faith by defending the country they died for, the Constitution they served under, and the liberty they purchased with blood. America survives only if gratitude becomes vigilance. To every Gold Star family, every veteran carrying the names of friends, and every grave marked by a flag: we remember. God bless the fallen. God bless America.
As a Child My Mother was on the Last refugee Boat out of Belgium , No luggage just the clothes they stood in , having made the treacherous journey from Poperinge ( nr Ypres ) in Red Cross trucks & shot at from Messerschmitt planes , it took 1 week to do a journey which now takes just a few hours ,,,,The fields DIDN’T have Poppies it was the BLOOD of the dead Soldiers ,,, Lest we Forget the ravage's of War
I recall that Sassoon was of the priveleged class but wouldn't fall in line with the elites of those days. Was he put in a psych hospital because he understood and felt the lunacy that was WW1 in the trenches? He also knew that the war was riggedand financed by extremely rich bankers especially from England, the USA, and France.
Some of us left by bus from the Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, NY induction center in the late 60s. I remember the ones that never lived past one year from that day. So I remember.
And we still have corrupt governments that continue to rig things and get more of our youth killed. I blame the corrupt mainstream media for spreading the lies of the Cult that runs the world.
At least back in the 60s-70s it was about Communism with the likes of the USSR, Chairman Mao, and others.
The red poppy matters because memory matters. “In Flanders Fields” threw a torch from the dead to the living, and Moina Michael answered with “We Shall Keep the Faith.” That is the real Memorial Day covenant. We do not merely mourn the fallen. We inherit their duty. We keep faith by defending the country they died for, the Constitution they served under, and the liberty they purchased with blood. America survives only if gratitude becomes vigilance. To every Gold Star family, every veteran carrying the names of friends, and every grave marked by a flag: we remember. God bless the fallen. God bless America.
Thank you for such an amazing reminder of what the day means. I will be printing off the poems and your substack for my family to read tomorrow.
Beautiful Bobbie! Thank you for this!
As a Child My Mother was on the Last refugee Boat out of Belgium , No luggage just the clothes they stood in , having made the treacherous journey from Poperinge ( nr Ypres ) in Red Cross trucks & shot at from Messerschmitt planes , it took 1 week to do a journey which now takes just a few hours ,,,,The fields DIDN’T have Poppies it was the BLOOD of the dead Soldiers ,,, Lest we Forget the ravage's of War
We also honor the fallen by remembering war is a brutal business
Base Details
by Siegfried Sassoon
"If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath,
I’d live with scarlet Majors at the Base,
And speed glum heroes up the line to death.
You’d see me with my puffy petulant face,
Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel,
Reading the roll of honours. 'Poor young chap,'
I’d say — 'I used to know his father well;
Yes, we’ve lost heavily in this last scrap.'
And when the war is over, if, like me,
There’s some old date that tells the tale of fame,
I shall be given knighthood or the key
Of some small town; and people will proclaim
How well I discharged my duties, while, beneath,
I guzzle, and raise my glass, and snore in peace."
I recall that Sassoon was of the priveleged class but wouldn't fall in line with the elites of those days. Was he put in a psych hospital because he understood and felt the lunacy that was WW1 in the trenches? He also knew that the war was riggedand financed by extremely rich bankers especially from England, the USA, and France.
Great post Bobbie Ann! I didn’t know that they changed the name of the holiday. Thanks for the history lesson.
Thanks, Kozi! I didn't realize they changed the name of the holiday until I started doing research on it. So interesting.
God bless our soldiers, our heroes.
Some of us left by bus from the Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, NY induction center in the late 60s. I remember the ones that never lived past one year from that day. So I remember.
And we still have corrupt governments that continue to rig things and get more of our youth killed. I blame the corrupt mainstream media for spreading the lies of the Cult that runs the world.
At least back in the 60s-70s it was about Communism with the likes of the USSR, Chairman Mao, and others.