This poem was written by John McCrae during WWI during the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium. One of his best friends , Lt Alexis Helmer of Canada was killed and he started writing this no famous Pom th next day.This was the first time chemicals were used in warfare- perhaps one of the first.
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
Scare 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 he break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
May 1915
The photo is my father, Kennith Culbreth while he served in the Navy during WWII
beebeesworld 
Superduque777 said,
November 13, 2016 @ 12:37 am
simon7banks said,
November 16, 2016 @ 6:07 pm
A simple poem that does not lose its force.
Although as far as I know the First World War was the first occasion for the use of poison gas (by the Germans, then by the allies) in war, chemical warfare was much older. The Byzantine Empire developed “Greek fire”, a napalm-like substance, around AD 673 for use in naval battles.
beebeesworld said,
January 4, 2017 @ 9:20 pm
I took the information on the ‘chemical warfare” from the same article I got the poem from. My aunt used to quote me this poem as a child. She had forgotten a few parts so i looked it up.
Christy B said,
November 23, 2016 @ 9:36 pm
The poem is beautiful, for sure.. and thank you to your father for his service xx
beebeesworld said,
January 4, 2017 @ 9:15 pm
Thanks for reading and thank you for your kind reply