What does the last stanza mean in Flanders Field?
They lie now “in Flanders fields.” The final stanza is a call to arms. The poet is speaking directly to the reader telling them that it is now their turn to fight and stand up against the forces that are seeking to destroy them. They must take the torch from the “failing hands” of the dead and live on for them.
What does the torch be yours to hold it high mean?
The torch; be yours to hold it high. In Flanders fields. This is a poem of remembrance, a call for those living not to forget the dead who are buried in a foreign land. It demands that the living remember why the fallen died, so that they did not die in vain.
Why is the poem In Flanders Fields so important?
In Flanders Fields was first published in England’s Punch magazine in December 1915. Within months, this poem came to symbolize the sacrifices of all who were fighting in the First World War. Today, the poem continues to be a part of Remembrance Day ceremonies in Canada and other countries throughout the world.
Why is death capitalized in Flanders Fields?
The second stanza, though, leaves no question about who is speaking. Not only is the poem spoken by the Dead—the word is capitalized to make them a specific group, not just a general category—, but the speakers are identified as recently slain soldiers.
What is McCrae’s message in Flanders Field?
The theme of this poem is that the living must continue to flight for the soldiers killed in the war. McCrae, writing about World War I, describes the poppies that blow across the field of graves and the larks that float above. The dead, who were alive only a short time before, are now buried in Flanders Fields.
How many are buried in Flanders Field?
12,000 soldiers
This is the largest military cemetery of the Commonwealth in continental Europe. Almost 12,000 soldiers are buried here.