Memorial Day, Remembrance Day and poppies

Today is Memorial Day in the US, a federal holiday and a time when people generally honor those fallen during their military service.  It also represents a time when all families remember those who have left us.  There are ceremonious events everywhere, although I understand that the ceremony featuring President Obama was actually rained out.  No doubt his political enemies will have a field day with that.  From the news reports that I have seen, most of those political enemies don't seem to share even one functioning brain cell among them.  It shows.

When I attended elementary school, I remember that it was around this time of year that we who were children of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) were conscripted into service by the American Legion.  We were all given bunches of paper poppies to sell in order to raise funds for various causes supported by the veterans' groups.  Because my father had served with the US Navy in the South Pacific during World War II, I duly received my quota of red poppies together with a little can with a slit in the top for coins.  People would purchase the poppies to wear in their lapels.  We kids learned fast that the best way to sell our poppies quickly was to go into the local bars and saloons.  We had more bars and saloons than we did churches in my tiny little prairie town - and, believe me, we had plenty of churches.  We probably needed so many churches because we had so many saloons.  But the saloons were great moneymakers for those of us selling poppies or paper Easter lilies.  We used to sell Easter lilies for the March of Dimes a bit earlier in the spring.

The tradition of the poppy was started to commemorate Armistice Day or "Remembrance Day," also known as "Poppy Day," which was selected as the date to honor the war dead from World War I.    Armistice Day falls on 11 November, however, and is known in the US as Veterans Day.  The poppy's significance to the Remembrance Day holiday, which in the US is more akin to Memorial Day than to Veterans Day, is a result of Canadian military physician John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields."

"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."

The poppy was chosen as a symbole of remembrance because of the poppies that bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I.  Their bright red colour was considered a reminder of the bloodshed of trench warfare.

While I do understand the symbolism and certainly appreciate the sacrifices made by those who gave their lives to ensure that I and my loved ones may lead our lives as we choose, I still find it ironic that such a joyous and perky little flower is associated with war and sorrow.  Its scarlet colors almost sparkle in the green fields and bring joy to the soul even during the gloomiest of overcast spring days. 

Happy Poppy Day in its best sense!  Now and always!