Lest We Forget / 87 The Royal Canadian Legion Prince Edward Island Command 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. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae MD (1872-1918), Canadian Army IN FLANDERS FIELDS "In Flanders Fields," was written by Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae while fighting in World War I shortly after presiding over the funeral of a friend killed in battle. The poem was published in 1915 and put to music in 1917, one year before Col. McCrea died. The poppies referred to in the song are of the flowers growing wild on top of the hastily made cemeteries for the soldiers in the Flanders region between France and Belgium. **Many believe the original poem was written "In Flanders fields the poppies grow", but most people know this line as "In Flanders fields the poppies blow". On the Canadian ten dollar bill, the first few lines of the poem are written in small print. It was first printed as "poppies blow", but a few years after discovering the mistake, it was changed to "poppies grow". In recent years it has been argued that the validity of this mistake is unfounded and it has since been changed back to “as poppies blow”. Despite the dissagreements, few would argue that this poem is the most recognized and celebrated war memorial poem ever written.
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