November 11th of this year marks the Armistice Day of the First World War (1914-1918). It is named Remembrance Day. Most Commonwealth countries today commemorate those who died in military service and veterans. This year, the Richmond Municipal Government has held commemorative activities on this day as usual. There were two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. and wreaths were placed at the war monument.
The red remembrance poppy (or Papaver rhoeas) has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem “In Flanders Fields” written by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. The poem originated in 1920 when John McCrae, witnessed the death of his 22-year-old fellow soldier Lieutenant Alexis Helmer. A week before the Remembrance Day, the people began to wear red poppy flowers until 11th November. Red poppies should have been plucked after silence and thrown into the cemetery, so now most people pluck after silence.
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.
