The significance of the poppy: American Legion to hand out flower tied to Memorial Day

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.

— Excerpt from “In Flanders Fields,” by Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae

The American Legion Darren Tate Post 425 in Canyon will be giving out poppy flowers this Memorial Day in honor of all fallen soldiers. In Lubbock, American Legion Post 575 gave out poppy flowers on Friday at United stores.

They are also asking for donations to benefit veterans and active-duty military. The Canyon post will be handing out flowers and accepting donations at the United in Canyon on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, beginning at 9 a.m. until they run out of flowers.

“The significance of the poppies began around 1921. … To this day, the poppies represent all fallen soldiers that have ever given their life to protect our nation's colors,” said Chris Holt, Commander of The American Legion Darren Tate Post 425.

For Holt, and many more, the significance of the poppy flower is a promise to never forget those who have sacrificed their lives for our country.

According to the American Legion, after World War I, the poppy flourished in Europe. Scientists later attributed this to the soil enrichment in France and Belgium from the rubble left by the war.

As a result of the abundance of lime in the soil following the war, fields of red poppy flowers began to bloom, inspiring the publication of the wartime poem “In Flanders Fields,” written by Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, M.D. while serving on the front lines.

Perry Gilmore, Ph.D., retired executive director and volunteer at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center, spoke about the symbolism and comparison of the flowers to the war as described in the poem.

“The poem in the first stanza, it talks about poppy flowers growing in the cemeteries between all the crosses, and so the red poppy color, then, was symbolic of the bloodshed of war,” Dr. Gilmore said.

According to the Veterans Affairs of Canada, the poem was written by McCrae following the death of a friend, Alexis Helmer, who was killed during the Second Battle of Ypres on May 2, 1915. As McCrae performed the burial service for Helmer, he noticed the abundance of poppies that quickly grew around the graves of those who were buried in Flanders Field, located in Waregem, West Flanders, Belgium.

This imagery inspired the poem, written from the point of view of the dead, speaking of their sacrifice and their command to the living to continue to fight for peace and remember those who have fallen.

“The poem became well known for the symbolism and the imagery of the flower and was later adopted by the American Legion, and they gave the poppy flowers out to help raise donations,” Dr. Gilmore said.

On Sept. 27, 1920, the poppy flower became the official flower of The American Legion family to memorialize the soldiers who fought and died during the war.

In 1924, the distribution of poppies became a national program of The American Legion, where they distribute handmade poppy flowers in effort to raise donations in support of future veterans, active-duty military personnel and their families with medical and financial needs.

In 2017, the United States Congress designated the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day.

Each year on that day, American Legion posts across the nation wear a red poppy to honor the fallen soldiers and support the living active duty and veteran soldiers.

Holt, a veteran himself, spoke about the significance of seeing the flower and individuals visibly showing their support for the sacrifices of past and present soldiers.

“To see individuals wearing the poppy is probably the greatest honor we can see anyone do, because that is probably one of the longest and most visible traditions,” Holt said.

Today, the red poppy flower symbolizes remembrance of those who have passed and hope for a peaceful future and is celebrated in countries around the world. However, Darren Tate Post 425 hopes to revitalize the visibility of the flower in the local area.

“There was a time when poppies were passed out every Memorial Day or National Poppy Day. Now it is a hit or miss situation, and we want to bring back a more consistent representation to the area, to show our support and raise funds and remember those that have sacrificed their lives for our country,” Holt said.

American Legion Darren Tate Post 425 will be available to accept donations via cash, card, and mobile payment apps.

For more information about National Poppy Day, visit the American Legion Family online at https://www.legion.org/poppyday .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: American Legion in Lubbock, Canyon gives poppies Memorial Day weekend