he Colours of Remembrance: The Story Behind the Four Poppies
© Robin Kers. This is original content. Please do not repost without attribution.
Preface
While researching for my other article on Remembrance Day, which focuses on Canadian contribution, I came across something I hadn’t fully appreciated — that the poppy, long a symbol of sacrifice, has taken on new colours and meanings over time.
What began as a single red bloom from the battlefields of Flanders has grown into a spectrum of remembrance: red for sacrifice, white for peace, black for overlooked service, and purple for the animals who served beside us.
TORONTO ON
I've never forgotten memorizing this in school although the real meaning probably eluded me at the time.
In Flanders Fields read by Leonard Cohen
2023 it was 20C or 68F. This was taken by me in 2019 at the Remembrance Day ceremonies.
TORONTO ON
Found this World War I memorial outside Little Trinity Anglican Church.
At City Hall, Toronto.
This large, bronze monument, called Peace Through Valour, commemorates the more than 93,000 Canadian soldiers who took part in the Italian campaign of the Second World War. The work was created by internationally known Canadian artist Ken Lum.
ST. THOMAS ON
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DIEPPE MEMORIAL HAMILTON ON
NORMANDY FRANCE
SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA
BERLIN WALL GERMANY
MEMORIAL KRISTALLNACHT BUDAPEST HUNGARY
PRAGUE CZECH REPUBLIC
TEREZIN WAR CAMP GERMANY
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery THAILAND
KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL - WASHINGTON DC
PEARL HARBOR HONOLULU HI
SINGAPORE
You put a LOT more into your post than I put in mine today, dear Jackie. The memorial that gets me every time I see it, is the one of the shoes along the river in Budapest.
ReplyDelete...a beautiful post, Jackie.
ReplyDeleteAn important, yet very sad collection.
ReplyDeleteMay we continue to remember the causes these brave people fought and died for...freedom against oppression.
ReplyDeleteGreat post love.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post. So very nice.
ReplyDeleteI like the poppy mural.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
I have an empty sachet of poppy-sseds by my PC, a pressie from a Perth friend for 100 years Gallipoli, honoring the ANZACs.
ReplyDeleteThat was 2015. Hw time runs.
The Australian Prime Minister was there, also wearing a poppy.
War... leaves it´s traces for a long time.
Ingo´s great-grandfather served WWI and II and could never eat bread again later. His mind and heart were broken forever.
To imagine through what pain his family went as well. He woke up screaming at nights...
War is but stupid and when I look to Ukraine now... with winter coming...
With teacher, artists , doctors fighting for freedom as unlearned soldiers...
There will be a lot of poppies to be add...
An outstanding Remembrance Day post, Jackie! I love the Canadian Flags field of honour header and the initial Poppy poem, which I have not read before. I knew that a white poppy stands for peace, but I never realized there were black and purple poppies too -- very fitting! And I've never heard Leonard Cohen's recitation of Flanders Fields, so thanks for that. I also didn't know there was an Italian Campaign memorial in Toronto. If I ever manage to get to Toronto again, I'd love to visit that. My father served in the Italian Campaign.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tribute. I love the poppies and of course Leonard Cohen. He was born here in Montreal and well loved by many.
ReplyDelete