英会話プライベートレッスン

Hello everyone! ?This is Anand as always. ?You might have noticed a blog post from about one or two weeks ago talking about Remembrance Day. ?On November 11th people from the UK remember lives that were lost because of war. ?Canada tends to follow a lot of the traditions of England, so we practice Remembrance Day too. ?There are ceremonies performed all over Canada honoring war veterans and those who died fighting for their country. ?Specifically we have a few traditions relating to Remembrance Day. ?One is that we wear a poppy on our clothes. ?Poppies were a common flower found at Flanders, a former trench war site and the setting for a famous poem called “In Flanders Fields”, which is often read on Remembrance Day. ?It was written by a Canadian doctor and soldier named John McCrae. ?Here is how it goes:

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.

The poem is often read out during Remembrance Day ceremonies all over the world, but it is particularly famous in Canada. ?The poem’s use of the poppy is why we wear them on Remembrance Day and their red color is a reminder of the blood spilled as a result of war. ?It is a day for reflection, and is often solemn in its tone. ?The day can be summed up by three words – the slogan of Remembrance Day.

Lest We Forget.

Here is a poppy (It’s Simon’s but here is a closer look).