Poppies for Sandy Hook

Last updated on: December 21, 2012 at 8:45 am by Karen Spears Zacharias

Poppies for Sandy Hook 2012-12-21T08:45:10+00:00 Karen Spears Zacharias

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Editor’s Note: A year ago, I asked my mother to paint me a picture of Flander’s Field. Then I gave her the poem penned during WWI by John McCrae, a Canadian physician. McCrae wrote it in honor of a dear friend who died during the second battle of Ypres in the Flanders region of Belgium, where the German army launched one of the first chemical attacks in the history of war. Because of the damage done to Flander’s Field due to the fighting, nothing would grow except for stubborn red poppies.

My mother, a war widow herself, was unaware of the poem or the history behind it, or its popularity among soldiers, but she painted me the lovely picture below. The guns mentioned in the poem take on a different meaning when applied to the Sandy Hook massacre. But the sentiments expressed seem fitting on this day, one week out from a national nightmare of epic proportions. We Shall Keep the Faith was written by a university professor as a promise to the dead that spans across the ages — a promise to do better.

I’ve taken the liberty to tweak the original poem from Flanders Field to Sandy Hook, otherwise the poems are intact.

In Sandy Hook

In Sandy Hook the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row by row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard among 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 Sandy Hook.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If yea break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Sandy Hook.

We Shall Keep the Faith

by Moina Michael ‘

Oh! you who sleep in Sandy Hook,
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 Sandy Hook

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 Sandy Hook

Previous Post

December 20, 2012

I wish the Mayans were right

Next Post

December 22, 2012 I Live with Adam Lanza

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category child abuse Military ministry pop culture prayer Sports Uncategorized Veterans Day

Select a Month July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz