Most of the poetry we analyzed or annotated are from World War One. The poem which I found most poignant was In Flanders Fields:
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.
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.
Background: This poem was written in 1915 by John McCrae, a field surgeon in World War One. He was inspired to write the poem after the death of his friend. McCrae later died in 1918 of Pneumonia. The term "Flanders Fields" actually refers to the general battlefield area in Part of Belgium and France. In this area, the most notable battles were the Three Battles of Ypres- This poem was written during the Second Battle of Ypres, hence the name.
Another Poem, We Shall Keep the Faith (Referring to the last stanza), was inspired by In Flanders Fields.
Furthermore, In Flanders Fields inspired people to use the Red Poppy as a symbol of Remembrance for Fallen Soldiers in World War One. The Red poppy is also worn on Remembrance Day to commemorate the soldiers who died .
The poem is also quite unique as the last line of each stanza actually breaks the rhythm of the line. This seems to emphasize "In Flander's Fields" since it is the last line of Two Stanzas.
EDIT: Also, I feel that the poem is very poignant. My favourite Stanza would be the second Stanza, as I feel that it truly brings out how abruptly the soldiers died. I feel that this is brought out effectively as the last line breaks up the rhythm, thus also emphasizing the sudden change in rhythm - seemingly conveying their sudden and unnatural death.
Appendix: We Shall Keep The Faith by Moina Michaels
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.
In Flanders Fields we fought
Postscript: Moina Michaels began selling red (fake) poppies to raise funds for disabled veterans of the Great War. In 1921, the red poppy was recognised as an official symbol of remembrance.
