![]() ![]() Though she had read it before, the final words called out to her that day. She was at her desk as always and in a spare minute, she was browsing through the latest edition of Ladies Home Journal and came across McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Fields (also called We Shall Not Sleep). On November 9, 1918, things changed for Moina. To cheer the place up, Moina used her own money to buy fresh flowers for the room. Moina set up a desk in the basement of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University in New York where she was available to listen to the soldiers, look at pictures from home, and offer any assistance or comfort they might need – kind of like a mother or a big sister. If you’ve ever had a house with a basement, then you know they can be dark and gloomy, especially in winter. Unfortunately, she was too old to go overseas herself, so she decided to find a way to help the soldiers stateside before they left for war. When America entered World War I, Moina Michael volunteered to be a canteen worker for the YMCA and help the soldiers overseas. It was thanks to this poem that Moina Michael was inspired to create a campaign to make the red poppy a symbol of remembrance and welfare for veterans, raising money for their care at the same time. ![]() Actor James McEachin is a decorated Korean War veteran and brings this poem to life, giving it depth and emotion. That excerpt above gives an idea of the poem but I recommend watching this video. Here’s an interesting bit of history about the man who wrote the famous poem. John McCrae – The Canadian Doctor Who Wrote In Flanders Fields ![]() It was very popular and was soon republished throughout the world. The poem was first published on December 8, 1915, in the London magazine Punch. A Canadian doctor, Lt Col John McCrae, was inspired to pen the now famous poem, In Flanders Fields. ![]()
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