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.
- John McCrae (1872-1918)
Over the past century, the poppy has become a symbol of wartime remembrance, particularly in Commonwealth countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK. It symbolizes sleep, peace, and death. Part of this meaning comes from the way in which the poppy is often the first plant to resprout on disturbed ground. During World War 1, it was common to see poppies sprouting in the no-man's land between opposing trenches, growing out of the blood-soaked soil and in between the tens of thousands of bodies that lined the Western Front. These flowers inspired Canadian physician John McCrae to pen the now-famous poem "In Flanders Fields", which has become a symbol of the utter waste that was the First World War.
In 2018, local residents Joan Donaldson and John Van Voorhees began planting a poppy field in memory of their son, who was deployed to Afghanistan and tragically passed away after returning in 2015. The sea of poppies represents not just his sacrifice, but all those who answered the call to serve in the armed forces, both those who came back and those who did not. After finding this cache, do take a moment to stare out over the field, whether it's full of flowers or not, and think about what we as a society owe to these men and women.
If you are here in June, when the poppies are typically in bloom, please note that there are a few rules. Do NOT pick the flowers, and do NOT walk into the field itself. Please observe the sacred nature of this space, and help maintain the dignity that it deserves.
This cache was placed in coordination with the West Michigan Road Rally Community Celebration Event. FTF rights were reserved for the event attendees. The caches are guaranteed to be around through the end of August, at which time they are subject to being removed.