Armistice Day - John McCrae poetry

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Here is an earlier, not nearly so famous, poem by John McCrae. He was a published poet among other notable accomplishments. He served in the Boer War as an artillery officer.

The Unconquered Dead ...

    ". . . defeated, with great loss."

    Not we the conquered! Not to us the blame
    Of them that flee, of them that basely yield;
    Nor ours the shout of victory, the fame
    Of them that vanquish in a stricken field.

    That day of battle in the dusty heat
    We lay and heard the bullets swish and sing
    Like scythes amid the over-ripened wheat,
    And we the harvest of their garnering.

    Some yielded, No, not we! Not we, we swear
    By these our wounds; this trench upon the hill
    Where all the shell-strewn earth is seamed and bare,
    Was ours to keep; and lo! we have it still.

    We might have yielded, even we, but death
    Came for our helper; like a sudden flood
    The crashing darkness fell; our painful breath
    We drew with gasps amid the choking blood.

    The roar fell faint and farther off, and soon
    Sank to a foolish humming in our ears,
    Like crickets in the long, hot afternoon
    Among the wheat fields of the olden years.

    Before our eyes a boundless wall of red
    Shot through by sudden streaks of jagged pain!
    Then a slow-gathering darkness overhead
    And rest came on us like a quiet rain.

    Not we the conquered! Not to us the shame,
    Who hold our earthen ramparts, nor shall cease
    To hold them ever; victors we, who came
    In that fierce moment to our honoured peace.

   
John McCrae

Lieutenant Colonel John Alexander McCrae, MD was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I, and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

LEST WE FORGET!

[PJ Hardtack]

Just watched the National Memorial Service in Ottawa, an exercise in hypocrisy.

Our glorious Prime Minister did not see fit to attend the ceremony, busy boycotting trade meetings in the Pacific. He takes every opportunity to turn out for Gay Pride Parades, loves to pose for selfies with illegal immigrants and pays out millions to a terrorist who threw a grenade at one of our allies but he couldn't fit this into his schedule. Speaks volumes for his regard of the Canadian military.

Turned my guts to see our lying Defence Minister in attendance with our new GG, a lady who earlier trashed the belief in God, something held very dear to many Canadians.

I also did not appreciate the prayer of the National Chaplain "... for those who govern us ....". I prefer to think of myself as being represented by members of my government, not "governed" by them. One of my illusions that makes life bearable.

As an 'Cold War Warrior' with 12 years service, it appalls me to see the struggle of our veterans for recognition and treatment of physical and psychological wounds. Too many have fallen through the cracks and committed suicide.

"And yes, it's true, what they say
of war and war's alarms,
But oh, that I was young again
and held her in my arms."   anonymous

To our vets - we know what your service asked of you, your families and we honour you for your service

[Gabriel Law]

Very well put, my friend.