Poetry Challenge #272-John McRae's Legacy
“In Flanders fields the poppies blow…”
The red poppy is the symbol of remembrance worn to honor fallen soldiers because of a poem written by John McCrae, a Canadian doctor and poet born on November 30, 1872.
During World War 1, McCrae served as brigade-surgeon to the First Brigade of the Canadian Field Artillery which, in April 1915, was involved in the Second Battle of Ypres, a horrifically bloody fight during which about 87,000 people lost their lives.
The following day, McCrae noticed the wild poppies blooming in the fields of makeshift graves and was moved to write the poem “In Flanders Field,” written from the point of view of the fallen soldiers.
The poem, published in Punch Magazine, that Dec 1915, was hugely popular and very soon therein, the red poppy was adopted as the memorial flower.
Poetry Challenge #272
Leave Taking
Imagine someone is leaving.
Write a poem from that person’s point of view. In the poem, discuss what might happen after they are gone.
Focus on one specific thing they will miss about the place. Or perhaps that will not be missed.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just write It!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
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All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
