âIn Flanders Fieldsâ reminds us that vigilance is not optionalâitâs a duty passed down from those who gave everything. The fight between greed and justice never sleeps.
đș In Flanders Fields: A Call to Eternal Vigilance
In the quiet fields of Flanders, where poppies bloom between rows of crosses, the echoes of war still whisper. Major John McCraeâs haunting poem, In Flanders Fields, written during World War I, is more than a tribute to fallen soldiersâitâs a torch passed to the living. Itâs a reminder that peace, justice, and dignity are never guaranteed. They must be defended, again and again, against those who would trade them for profit and power.
Here is the full poem:
In Flanders Fields
By John McCraeă1â sourceă
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.
đ„ The Fight That Never Ends [2]
McCraeâs âfoeâ was the enemy on the battlefield. But today, the foe wears a different uniform. Itâs the unchecked greed that poisons our politics, exploits our labor, and commodifies our communities. Itâs the corporate interests that prioritize profit over people, and the systems that reward extraction over empathy.
The greedy donât restâand neither can we.
- They privatize what should be public: water, healthcare, education.
- They manipulate truth: flooding our feeds with misinformation.
- They divide us: turning neighbor against neighbor to protect their own power.
đĄïž Holding the Torch High
âIn Flanders Fieldsâ doesnât just mournâit commands. âTake up our quarrel with the foe.â That quarrel is now ours. Itâs in our schools, our streets, our legislatures. And itâs in our hands.
To honor the dead, we must fight for the living.
- Organize: Build coalitions that center justice and dignity.
- Educate: Share truth, challenge lies, and empower others.
- Resist: Push back against policies and practices that exploit.
đč A Legacy Worth Defending
The poppies of Flanders are not just symbols of remembrance. They are warnings. They bloom in bloodied soil, reminding us that peace is fragile and freedom is never free. The greedy will always return. But so will we.
And we will be ready.
Sources: ă1ăPoetry Foundation â In Flanders Fields
