Today we observe Memorial Day. The only Poppy I have seen is a virtual one on Facebook. I haven’t been out and about much, just a few trips to the grocery store and one to Lowe’s for items to mount my Flag. No where did I see anyone with poppies. The department of Veterans affairs restricted placing flags on the veterans graves. I wonder if they issued any guidance on the poppies. I don’t know. I do know that many of the younger folks today have no clue about the significance of those poppies, or Flanders Field. But I will continue to tell anyone that listens about that. There are many that are confused about just what we are commemorating in the first place. But all of that has been written about by myself and many others. I am pleased to read that in some places the Flags were still placed and honors given.
 Eight years ago I composed this poem to remember and honor those veterans that, as Lincoln said, gave the last full measure of devotion. It is those that we commemorate today.

                                                                        Those that marched before

Hear the music playing
Feel the beating of the drum
See our colors flying
Proudly in the sun

Our boots are brightly polished
Our uniforms so neat
The sergeant calling cadence
With the marching of our feet

Old soldiers and Sailors
Marching side by side
Marching to remember
Our comrades that have died

Never to be forgotten
Remembered forever more
A grand parade to celebrate
Those that marched before.

A.B. Reichart

 There isn’t much more I can say. The final verse of In Flander’s Field  says this:
 ” 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 Field. ”  John McCrae

I will hold the torch high, I will keep faith with those who died. May they sleep, wherever they lie.