Freedom is never "free"
Some men put their life on the line … for others to be FREE
Their sacrifice merits HONOR … and a place in history
The BRAVE of heart can be found ... on the front-lines
Facing the enemy head on … their COURAGE shines
Lines formed in battles … how BRUTAL is war
Cease all the fighting … and WAR is no more
“Who wishes to fight must first count the COST” ~ The Art of War
For once you’re at war … all “gain” comes with LOSS
~ Fay Vietmeier (an excerpt from "Lines of Life")
https://www.bebee.com/producer/@fay-vietmeier-pennsylvania/lines-of-life
"In Flanders Fields"
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.
~John McCrae
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.
We cherish, too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.
~Moina Michael
Memorial Day ... we are remembering:
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal.” ~ From a headstone
Gratitude knows that “freedom is not free”
The life of every warrior-soldier who gave the last & greatest “ultimate sacrifice” has been poured out as a patriotic love offering. May the American flag ever bring this remembrance.
Every warrior-soldier is due honor & respect.
Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” ~ Unknown
... a timeless prayer for warriors ...
“Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. They will need Thy blessings and Thy Protection… Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.”~ excerpt from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “D-Day” Prayer June 6th 1944
It is noteworthy that this is not a speech, it is a prayer. Roosevelt didn’t ask the country to honor a moment of silence. He, the President of the United States of America, asked the American people to “join” him in prayer. As he led the nation in a solemn petition for the lives of thousands of American and Allied men ... boys, really ... who were crossing the English Channel and landing on the bloody beaches of Normandy, France. He asked for God’s will to be done in the great endeavor that was “D-Day”
"I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts." ~ * Psalm 119:45
Leonard Cohen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKoJvHcMLfc
“In Flanders Fields”
One of the most poignant reminders of World War I is the moving poem, ‘In Flanders Fields’, written by John McCrae, a Canadian army doctor, following the death of his close friend and compatriot Lieutenant Alexis Helmer. Helmer was killed on 2 May 1915 when a shell exploded during the second German gas attack. In the absence of a chaplain, McCrae conducted the funeral service for his friend himself. Grief and the trauma of war inspired his poem.
https://www.flandersfields.be/en/inspiration/poem-flanders-fields
“We shall keep the faith”
Moina Belle Michael was born near Good Hope, Walton County, Georgia, USA on August 15, 1869. At the age of 15 Moina began her career as a teacher, spending time in every section of the educational system in Georgia, teaching in county, town, state and church schools.
The idea for the Flanders Fields Memorial Poppy came to Moina Michael while she was working at the YMCA Overseas War Secretaries headquarters on a Saturday morning in November 1918, two days before the Armistice was declared at 11 o’clock on 11 November. At about 10.30am, when everyone was on duty elsewhere, Moina found a few moments to read the magazine. In it she came across a page that carried a vivid color illustration for the poem “We Shall Not Sleep” (later named “In Flanders Fields”) written by the Canadian Army doctor John McCrae.
Reading the poem on this occasion - she had read it many times before - Moina was transfixed by the last verse - “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.” At that moment Moina Michael made a personal pledge to ‘keep the faith’ and vowed always to wear a red poppy of Flanders Fields as a sign of remembrance and as an emblem for “keeping the faith with all who died.”
Compelled to make a note of this pledge she hastily scribbled down a response on the back of a used envelope, entitled “We Shall Keep the Faith”
Moina Michael died on 10 May 1944
Personal note:
Special thanks to those in my family who serve/have served in the military with honor. To name a few: Tom Marmalich, Brian & Charles Hilt, Uncle Dale Mountain & Chris Mountain, Aunt Darlene West, Andy Vietmeier and “Pappy”
Special thanks to @John Rylance for * Psalm 119:45 contribution
"Lines of Life"
https://www.bebee.com/producer/@fay-vietmeier-pennsylvania/lines-of-life
** “Who wishes to fight must first count the cost” ~ Sun Tzu, Art of War
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history
https://www.ncpedia.org/wwi-life-western-front (excellent)
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/civil-war-toll-up-by-20-percent-in-new-estimate.htmlArticles from Fay Vietmeier
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Comments
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #22
John Rylance Thank you John for returning and leaving such a powerful message "Cry Freedom" I was not aware of this song ... nor the 1987 movie with Denzel Washington & Kevin Kline which I hope to get from the Library when it opens Hands and feet are all alike But gold between divide us Hands and feet are all alike But fear between divide us All slip away There was a window and by it stood A mirror in which He could see himself He thought of something Something he had never had but hoped would come along Cry freedom, cry I have tucked this away and will use in a future post ... with special thanks to you ;~) I love the movie Braveheart that profound cry "FREEDOM" by William Wallace
John Rylance
3 years ago #21
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #20
Ken Boddie Truth: Liberty is impossible without vigilance. In many ways I agree with what you say: "those who pay the ultimate price are so often sustaining the ignorance of leaders who refuse to listen to the lessons of history." Ignorance ... pride and power ... greed these are corrupting & contributing forces of war (I'm sure there are more) I would not likely make a good soldier ... for I don't think I could follow where I see these in command (Ignorance-pride-power-greed ) or at the helm How many warriors did pay the ultimate price even knowing they were "sustaining such ignorance" ... Uncounted So many complexities on this planet ...
Ken Boddie
3 years ago #19
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #18
Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman, beBee Brand Ambassador Thank you Franci ~ I always look forward to your visits ;~) "wonderful" ... tucked away in this bees heart ;~)
Ali Anani
3 years ago #17
Fay Vietmeier "i carry your heart i carry it in my heart" What a lovely idea for a poem by you my dear friend!
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #16
Debasish Majumder Thank you for reading and enjoying ... "lovely" is tucked in this bees heart '~) I appreciate your sweet sharing ... hope it reaches many and brings remembrance ;~)
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #15
Chris \ud83d\udc1d Guest ... his remembrance is precious ... and ever in your heart here is the deepest secret nobody knows here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart i carry your heart i carry it in my heart
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #14
Proma \ud83d\udc1d Nautiyal I am in agreement ;~) The is a line in Cormac McCarthy's book: The Road that remains in my mind: "Senseless ... senseless" That is war. If one reads the book ... it leaves its mark We never know the "event" that produced the darkest imagining for human beings. I consider war the darkest imagining ... yet think about the events that lead up to two world wars and understand there had to be a response I am grateful to know the Prince of Peace and take comfort that even when these warriors were at war ... and He was within their heart ... and eventually in His arms
Proma Nautiyal
3 years ago #13
Debasish Majumder
3 years ago #12
Ali Anani
3 years ago #11
Fay Vietmeier I thank you for the mention W.O.W ... wonder of wonders W.O.W ... words of wisdom The new one... Wonders of Wisdom
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #10
John Rylance your response to this tiniest detail ... Waw in Psalm 119 (sited below) ... "Waw" meaning sword You say: I would pronounce Waw as "war" Brought from me "WOW" Your response increased an expression I've been using with mostly the dear POrofessor Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee W.O.W ... wonder of wonders W.O.W ... words of wisdom
John Rylance
3 years ago #9
Thank you Fay, particularly in widening my knowledge in respect of my biblical quote. I now fully understand its meaning and its context. It is powerful as a stand alone quote, even more so as part of the entire section. I note with interest that the word for sword, waw I would pronounce war.
Ali Anani
3 years ago #8
Dear Fay Vietmeier These are the lyrics about the bloody cost of freedom. You said you didn't find it so I gave your the original lyrics in Arabic should you wish to copy and Google them/
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #7
Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee Are these lines from "Stand for teacher? /what do these lines say Ali? وَلِلحُرِّيَّةِ الحَمــراءِ بابٌ بِكُلِّ يَدٍ مُضَــــرَّجَةٍ يُدَقُّ
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #6
Chris \ud83d\udc1d Guest Honored is your family to have a warrior in its lineage: Jaffray Ambrose Guest
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #5
John Rylance Truth: “The price to be paid depends on what stands between you and your freedom.” I thank you so much John for contributing & connecting this verse from Psalm 119:45 ... am going to add to this writing ;~) Psalm 119 is the longest psalm & the longest chapter in the Bible / 22 sections in this Psalm each corresponding to a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet (“Waw” means sword) which reminds me God’s Word is the “sword of truth” (Ephesians 6: “the armor of God”) In a time when people did not have access to written Scriptures ... they were memorized and passed it along orally Waw 41 May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise; 42 then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. 44 I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. 45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. 46 I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, 47 for I delight in your commands because I love them. 48 I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.
Ali Anani
3 years ago #4
Fay Vietmeier Yes, the same poet who said "Stand for teacher" is the poet who said in Arabic: وَلِلحُرِّيَّةِ الحَمــراءِ بابٌ بِكُلِّ يَدٍ مُضَــــرَّجَةٍ يُدَقُّ He published this poem in 1926 and it is of his pearls. Sharing is sweet- reading your poem is sweeter as it is honey-like
Fay Vietmeier
3 years ago #3
Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee My dear Professor ... many thank for your always kind, insightful words Truth: it is foolish to think: “We get anything for nothing. The bigger the "thing" is, the higher the price goes up. The price of freedom is very high.” I looked for the poem by Ahmad ... did not find it ... Did find this one which is a “pearl” (from) “Stand for teacher” Do you know of someone nobler than ... he who nurtures minds & hearts You brought this mind forth from darkness ... and guided it to an enlightened radiant path. ~ Ahmad Shawqui “Prince of Poets” 2) Your sharing this post is SWEET ... hope it reaches many hearts and minds and lifts up how precious is freedom ... and those who make it possible Earthly freedom should never be taken for granted.
John Rylance
3 years ago #2
Ali Anani
3 years ago #1