Today in History, May 3: 1915 – The day after one of his closest friends is killed during the Second Battle of Ypres, Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae writes the iconic poem In Flanders Fields while sitting in the back of an ambulance. Disatisfied, he crumpled it up and threw it away. It was retrieved by one of his squadmates, who convinced him to publish it.
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.
