Here's the story behind the original poem, "In Flanders Fields."

"We Shall Keep the Faith"
by Moina Michael, November 1918

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

Here's the story behind this response to "We Shall Not Sleep."

This is the story of how the Flanders Fields Red Poppy was first introduced as a symbol of remembrance by an American teacher, Miss Moina Michael.

"In Flanders Now"
by Edna Jacques (1891-1978)

We have kept faith, ye Flanders' dead,
Sleep well beneath those poppies red,
That mark your place.
The torch your dying hands did throw,
We've held it high before the foe,
And answered bitter blow for blow,
In Flanders' fields.

And where your heroes' blood was spilled,
The guns are now forever stilled,
And silent grown.
There is no moaning of the slain,
There is no cry of tortured pain,
And blood will never flow again
In Flanders' fields.

Forever holy in our sight
Shall be those crosses gleaming white,
That guard your sleep.
Rest you in peace, the task is done,
The fight you left us we have won.
And "Peace on Earth" has just begun
In Flanders' now.

The Menin (Mennen) Gate Memorial (Ypres) bears the names of 55,000 men who were lost without a trace during the defense of the Ypres Salient in WWI.
Video (0:36)

Remembering Irena Sendler

Tribute to the Brits in Iraq Video (Bagpipes -- “Amazing Grace”) (2:11)

Memorial Day 2007 Video (“American Soldier” by Toby Keith & “God Bless America Again”) (7:34) -- A compilation video to recognize American soldiers of all foreign wars and also Fire Fighters and Policeman. Also remembering the tragic events of 9-11-2001.

Memorial Day - May 2007 Video (3:05)

"Amazing Grace" in Iraq Video (Bagpipes) (3:19)

"Memorial Day, 2007: Why We Fight" (Remember Michael Kelly)

"On the Fairness of Life" by Marguerite Kelly (4/17/07), on the fourth anniversary of her son's death

Did anyone see today's AJC? The pictures of all the fallen soldiers from Georgia?
Some of them are kids, just kids. It breaks my heart.

I put fresh flowers and new flags on my brothers graves.

Lots of tears have been shed today, and everyday.

God Bless America and all the troops.

Just over a year ago the father of one of my best friends died, he was a man i"d known for close to fourty years and it wasn't till I read his obituary that I found out he was an Army vet who hit the beach on D-Day. A winner of the Silver Star and a couple of Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, and several other decorations. this man had never mentioned his service and while I looked up to him for all those many years as a model husband and father and just a very fine person all around I wish I could have thanked him for his sevice.
He must have been sensitive about the war and his medals, he never mentioned them or his service, but there is no doubt in my mind that he was a member and a leader of our greatest generation.

I yam what I yam...Popeye