Dear all,
Thank you for your thoughts and poetry inspired by John McCrae‘s “In Flanders Fields“.
Some of this week’s highlights include:
Many of you considered how the poem made you feel. Martin M from Rotherfield provided this reflective account:
Flanders fields makes me feel melancholy and confused because I do not like people or soldiers who saved us in the war die. Also I did not understand the poem at first but when we studied it I understood it very well.
while Martin V from Rotherfield realised a poem could create two opposing feelings in readers at once and used quotes to support his point:
In flanders fields I felt really disgusted, also really greatful because they saved our country and we all have freedom.I feel disgusted because lots of people died and makes me realize that lots of families are extremely depressed!!!The sentence what made me fell disgusted was: ‘In flanders fields poppies blow between the crosses,row on row’
Aicha from Rotherfield realised the poem made them pause and how it still seemed relevant today:
Flanders fields make me feel depressed.
It made me realize that all these people gave their lives for us, to make sure we were safe and not threatened. It gave me shivers and it just stopped me. It made me really think.
It made me think about family and about their family. I wondered about how their families felt. I guess it’s kind of hard to think that all these people died and not just 10 people but thousands and thousands of people.
I like this poem because it makes me feel proud. Proud of the people who fought for our rights. I say thank you.
Maya and Muwahip of Ambler responded to the dead and reassured them through the following stanza:
We shall remember you,
we have held up the torch
We know that you were dead days ago
But, we held up to make you have faith in us,
You have done more than we did
and we have to make that change.
Look at how Leticia and Suhayb from Ambler use details from the original poem to inform their own response:
In Flanders Fields,
Where the poppies grow,
And the Dead lie,
The poppies shall be worn,
To remember you by,
For we have caught your torch,
And will carry it bravely, wherever we go,
Francis from Hanover adopts a determined tone in response to the Dead:
We’ll never surrender,
We’ll take your place
In the fight
We’ll make you worth dying for
In the night in Flanders Fields
We’ll flatten them , wipe them out
Until they shout the two words no one wants to say
In Flanders Fields hip hip hooray!
Nathan H from Hanover was inspired to create a complete poem in response:
Crosses fill the Flanders Fields,
And Larks are in the air.
We will remember you,
No matter what.
We’ll just try annd make it fair . . .
The ammo flies,
But the Larks wont die,
Just soldiers are gone,
The angels all cry.
How many more dreadful years are to come?
It doesn’t matter, nothing matters,
We’ll make your passing meaningfull.
And never, EVER run!
We died for you,
Now we cry for you.
Now, there’s a hole in my life . . .
As we’ve highlighted before it’s helpful when we get feedback from others. Look at this example from Kathryn from Hanover to Nathan which highlights what she thinks works well:
Nate, this is a really lovely thoughtful response. I particularly like how you included rhyme without making the rhyming silly. I look forward to seeing more of your poetry.
Reece from Duncombe showed you can capture a feeling (desperation?) in only 4 lines and look at his memorable title:
The essence of fear
In the muddy trenches people
stare hopelessly at their friends
and think when will I die
amongst the poppy’s on Flanders field.
while Fidel from Duncombe provides a sense of mystery:
Poppies in Flanders Field
As the poppies grow
the larks still bravely sings
against the mark in the sky
Finally Baris and Karya from Rotherfield leave us with this question:
In Flanders Fields
This poem is very emotional and depressing, due to the fact that large amounts of innocent people died. If this war didn’t occur poppy’s wouldn’t have been such a ‘well known’ flower.How would you feel if all of your loved ones died?
Thank you all for your hard work so far. We look forward to reading your responses to and poetry inspired by Langston Hughes.
Flanders Fields where you
was laid to rest
marked by crosses
we will wear the poppies
so we never forget.
dear the dead,
if you have a heart then keep it
was war good or was it bad
if so then tell me
now
did you have friends in your trench
if you was alive what would do would you make war or peace
In Flanders Fields
I hope you all will rest in peace
Where the poppies grow
We now have the touch
It is on and will remain on
flanders fields makes me feel depressd because of the people that died for us for no reason,because they could of let us die but insted they fought for us so we should be proud.