RED POPPY DAY

The poem, in McCrae's own handwriting

Do you know why we wear red poppies on Armistice / Remembrance Day ?

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, when he noted how poppies quickly grew around the graves of those who died at Ypres. The next day, he composed the poem, "In Flanders Fields  while sitting in the back of an ambulance.

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.

Did you notice that he didn't say they were red, but it is generally accepted that they were all red, symbolic of the fallen blood at the Second battle of Ypres.

Here is my tribute to Armistice Day on 11 November:

This card features the image Poppies, an image I drew myself for the Digistamps 4 Joy store.

I coloured it using alcohol markers, and a white gel pen.  Here is a better look at the image:

I have entered this card into the following challenges:

luv'n huggz

Jen Leeflang

DURBAN

SOUTH AFRICA

THE OUTLAWZ, FRIDAY CHALLENGE, 'TRIBUTE TO VETERANS'

ATC’s AND CARDS WITH ATTITUDE, #26, ANYTHING GOES WITH A SENTIMENT

CARD CRAFTERS CIRCLE, #48, WE REMEMBER (RED POPPIES)

LADY ANNE’S CHALLENGES, SENTIMENT FRIDAY

DELICIOUS DOODLES, #10, REMEMBERING

FAT PAGES & CARDS WITH ATTITUDE, #26, ANYTHING GOES WITH A SENTIMENT

INSPIRE ME FRIDAYS, #84, ANYTHING GOES

JELLYPARK CHALLENGES, BACK TO NATURE

CRAFTS & ME, #108, REDS

CRAFTY SENTIMENTS, POPPIES

DAISY DOODLES, #71, REMEMBRANCE DAY