Memorial Day, Flanders Fields and the Skit Guys

photo from orlandofest.com

When I was a high school freshman in Iowa, show choir was a popular and competitive extracurricular activity. Show choirs would spend the entire school year getting four choreographed songs (and one non-dancing ballad) ready for competition season. When I was in my "freshman level" show choir (yes, our Iowa show choir competitions had levels like 4A, etc., depending on the size of the school, etc.), I got to share a solo in our ballad, which was "In Flanders Fields."

The ballad "In Flanders Fields" is a musical adaptation of the poem of the same name, written by a Canadian medical officer John McCrae in 1915 in regards to the First World War.

Joe Carter writes about how a college teacher and YMCA War Worker wrote a moving response to the poem.

. . . the blood of heroes truly never dies. Their sacrifices truly do live on, enriching the fertile soil of our memories, bringing forth red poppies that grow in honor of those who've passed on the torch.

Sleep sweet, brave comrades, until you arise anew.

You can enjoy the Skit Guys's new Memorial Day video here.