In Flanders Fields

[JimBowie1958]

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

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.

Have a great Memorials Day and, if you see any, thank the veterans.

 

[Artevelde]

Living in Flanders myself I have frequent occasion to visit war cemeteries. Never fails to leave an impression.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Living in Flanders myself I have frequent occasion to visit war cemeteries. Never fails to leave an impression.

I can imagine; two of the bloodiest wars in human history fought there.

We owe so much to the men who went before us.

 

[NYcarbineer]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OjxMQHYo3U]No Man's Land - YouTube[/ame]

 

[JimBowie1958]

No Man's Land - YouTube

Good post and I love that song.

It is a shame that so often the government feels the need to exagerate the cause to win a war and those who express doubt are the subjects of scorn, so a wise man keeps his doubts to himself till the rage subsides.

But look at how war has changed since the end of WW2. Total war that involves a draft of ALL able bodied men and sent into a war that causes thousands of casualties daily, that is all gone for more than 6 decades now.

Woodrow Wilson may have gotten the goal wrong, but it was only by a few decades.

I take great comfort in knowing that my son and my grandsons are very unlikely to have to fight in a war like my grandfather and step father did.

 

[JimBowie1958]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLBgmbXBOb8]Dixie Chicks - Travelin' Soldier - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Annie]

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

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.

Have a great Memorials Day and, if you see any, thank the veterans.

I will. Related:

Danny Boy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(There are a number of variations on these lyrics.)

Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flow'rs are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so.

And if you come, and all the flowers are dying
If I am dead, as dead as well may be
I pray you'll find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me
And all my grave will warm and sweeter be
And then you'll kneel and whisper that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.

or I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

or And I shall rest in peace until you come to me.

or Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so.[6]

[edit]

 

[JimBowie1958]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7EPlqvMAfU&feature=related]8th of November - Big & Rich - YouTube[/ame]

 

[JimBowie1958]

I will. Related:

Danny Boy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(There are a number of variations on these lyrics.)

Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flow'rs are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so.

And if you come, and all the flowers are dying
If I am dead, as dead as well may be
I pray you'll find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me
And all my grave will warm and sweeter be
And then you'll kneel and whisper that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.

or I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

or And I shall rest in peace until you come to me.

or Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so.[6]

[edit]

Thought you might like this:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHSzDlZVSdM]Celtic Woman - Danny Boy - YouTube[/ame]

 

[tinydancer]

‘Freedom Is Not Free’ by Kelly Strong:

Freedom Is Not Free


I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He’d stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers’ tears?
How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?
No, freedom isn’t free.


I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant “Amen,”
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn’t free.

 

[BDBoop]

http://www.usmessageboard.com/military/225620-a-reminder.html

 

[The Infidel]

 

[tinydancer]

Artist: Tracy Lawrence
Song: If I Don't Make It Back

We went out for beers and a couple of laughs
Knowin' full well that every bad joke that Jimmy told
Might be his last
So we laughed like the world wasn't at war
Said things to him we'd never said before
And he teared up as he held up his glass
He said, boys, if I don't make it back

Have a beer for me, don't waste no tears on me
On Friday night sit on the visitors side
And cheer for the home team
Drive my Camaro, 90 miles an hour down Red Rock Road
With 'Born to Run' blastin' on the radio
And find someone good enough for Amy
Who will love her like I would have
If I don't make it back

We said, hey, man that ain't gonna happen
Don't even think like that
If we know you, you'll pull through without a scratch
He pulled me aside in the parkin' lot
Said, Amy and me we're gonna tie the knot
You're my best man, just wanted you to know that
Just in case I don't make it back

Have a beer for me, don't waste no tears on me
On Friday night sit on the visitors side
And cheer for the home team
Drive my Camaro, 90 miles an hour down Red Rock Road
With 'Born to Run' blastin' on the radio
And find someone good enough for Amy
Who will love her like I would have
If I don't make it back

If the good Lord calls me home
I'd like to think my friends
Will think about me when I'm gone

Well, Miller Lite ain't my brand
But I drink one every now and then, in his honour
And we ain't missed a home game yet
Had that Camero at 110 on Red Rock Road
When the speakers blowed
And I introduced Amy to a friend of mine from Monroe
He's a good ol' boy
But you know, she just ain't ready


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQcfO_wGoFM]Tracy Lawrence - If I Don't Make It Back (Live) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[JimBowie1958]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL_K8G6jdHA]Some gave all - YouTube[/ame]