THE TRADITIONS LIBRARY
Reading “In Flanders Fields”
For many Canadians, the opening words of “In Flanders Fields” bring back a school assembly, a quiet November morning, or the sight of poppies pinned to winter coats. Some remember learning it by heart. Others remember hearing a single voice read it into the silence of a crowded ceremony.
Reading the poem is a tradition of remembrance in its own right. It connects words written during the First World War with people listening more than a century later, asking each generation to consider the lives behind the history.
The reading can be part of a public service, a classroom lesson, or a quiet moment at home. Taking time to learn who wrote it, what he had experienced, and what the poem says allows familiar words to become meaningful again.
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The Traditions Library
0070
CATEGORY
Remembrance
FREQUENCY
Annually
AGES
All Ages
COST
Free
The Story Behind It
John McCrae was a Canadian physician, soldier, and poet born in Guelph, Ontario. During the First World War, he served as a medical officer with the Canadian Field Artillery near Ypres, Belgium, in the region known as Flanders.
In the spring of 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres brought devastating fighting and casualties. McCrae was caring for wounded soldiers close to the front, surrounded by the physical and emotional demands of war.
On May 2, his friend Lieutenant Alexis Helmer was killed. Helmer was buried in a makeshift grave marked with a wooden cross. His death helped inspire McCrae to write “In Flanders Fields” the following day.
The poem begins with a landscape where poppies grow among soldiers’ graves and birds continue singing above the fighting. It then gives a collective voice to the dead, reminding readers that these were people who had recently lived, loved, and been loved.
Its final verse changes from description to an appeal to those still living. The image of a torch being passed from failing hands became one of the poem’s most enduring symbols.
Published in the British magazine Punch on December 8, 1915, the poem quickly became widely known. Its influence helped make the poppy an international symbol of remembrance.
The poem also belongs to the wartime world in which McCrae wrote it. Its final verse calls on others to continue the fight against the enemy, and the poem helped encourage support for the Allied war effort. Reading it thoughtfully means making room for both its grief and its wartime purpose.
McCrae died of illness in France on January 28, 1918, before the armistice. His words survived him and became part of the way later generations remember.
What You'll Need
A complete, reliable copy of John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields,” available through Veterans Affairs Canada or another established historical source.
Optional additions include:
A recording of the poem.
A photograph of John McCrae.
A map showing Belgium and Ypres.
A remembrance poppy.
A notebook for questions or reflections.
A family photograph or a researched service member’s story.
A quiet conversation and the poem itself are enough. No decorations or purchases are necessary.
Make It Your Own
Return to the poem each November and let your understanding grow with your family. A child who first notices the flowers may later ask about the soldiers, the speaker, or what it means to pass on a responsibility.
Choose one or two questions rather than turning the reading into a test:
What picture formed in your mind while you listened?
Why do you think the poem mentions that these people lived, loved, and were loved?
Who is speaking in the poem, and how does that change the way it feels?
What did passing the torch mean in McCrae’s wartime setting?
What responsibilities do we have when remembering people today?
How can we remember the human cost of war while working towards peace?
Pair the reading with one individual’s story from a local memorial or a reliable archive. Learning a name, seeing a face, or discovering someone’s hometown can make the poem’s collective voice feel more personal.
You could also explore a translation, listen to different readings, or visit a museum connected with McCrae’s life. If you write a response or create artwork, present it alongside the original poem and clearly identify it as your own.
The tradition does not need to sound exactly the same every year. Its value lies in returning to the words with attention and allowing new questions to emerge.
How It’s Done
Choose a reliable copy of “In Flanders Fields” and introduce its author before beginning. A few sentences about McCrae, his medical work, and the death of his friend can help listeners understand that the poem grew from a particular person’s experience.
Read it aloud slowly and clearly, allowing the punctuation and pauses to guide you. One person can read the whole poem, or several people can share its three verses. Listening to a recording is equally worthwhile, particularly when someone would rather listen than read aloud.
At an organized remembrance ceremony, follow the program’s order. At home or in a classroom, leave a short pause after the reading before beginning a conversation.
Explain unfamiliar words and images. Flanders is a region that includes part of Belgium. The crosses mark graves. The larks are birds. The torch is a figurative image rather than an object being physically passed between people.
With younger children, begin with the idea that the poem remembers people who died and the families and friends who loved them. Older children and adults can explore its changing voice, its historical setting, and the questions raised by the final verse.
There is no requirement to memorize or perform it. The purpose is to listen, understand, and remember.