7 Reasons Why “In Flanders Fields” Became the Immortal Poem of WWI

On May 3, 1915, Lt. Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian doctor serving on the front lines of World War I, wrote the poem “In Flanders Fields.” The poem was published later that year and quickly earned great fame around the world. It is still frequently quoted, especially during remembrances of veterans on November 11th.

Like any timeless classic work of art, that poem captured some magic that cannot be replicated. Digging further into the poem, however, does offer some lessons in communication that are still helpful today. Here are 7 lessons in communication from Lt. Colonel McCrae and his poem “In Flanders Fields,” which is attached below.

1 - Practice Prepares for Perfection - While McCrae wrote the poem in one day, it was not his first poem. He started writing poems in his early teenage years. He used poetry to help him deal with his grief from the death of young woman he cared for. McCrae had 16 poems published while he was a student at university. While none of those poems became immediate hits like “In Flanders Fields,” each helped him hone his writing and prepare him for a writing success down the road.

2 - Capture Inspiration in Real-Time - The inspiration for “In Flanders Fields” came to McCrae during the makeshift funeral for a friend killed the day before in battle. McCrae noted the imagery he saw during that funeral and committed it to memory. The next day, he put that memory into writing while it was still fresh. Some of the magic of the poem comes from the details he remembered and the simplicity of an immediate draft. Since the war was still raging around him, he surely had many valid excuses to wait to write his poem down until later. Thankfully, he did not wait.

3 - Connect with a Clear Visual - McCrae starts the poem by simply and concisely describing what his own eyes saw, and ears heard, the day before. By doing do, readers can imagine themselves as being in the scene themselves, even a century later. For readers who have been to a military cemetery, the poem can immediately take them back to that memory as the starting point for this poem. It builds an immediate and strong personal connection.

4 - Say More by Saying Less - Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is considered short at 272 words. “In Flanders Fields” is only 97 words. It is short enough to memorize. McCrae saw much during the war that he may have wanted to process through writing poetry. He could have added more verses. But he knew when to end this poem, and it was before 100 words.

5 - End with Call to Action - Part of the reason for the poem’s popularity was the strong call for action at the end to honor those killed in the war. Allied governments used that call to action to help recruit soldiers and raise money for the war. It was quoted on posters, which helped make it more popular.

6 - Persevere through Failure - McCrae almost did not publish this poem. One legend has it that McCrae threw his draft of the poem away because he did not think it was good, only to be encouraged by another soldier who found it. McCrae also was turned down for publication by one magazine before a second accepted it and published it. Thankfully, McCrae persevered.

7 - Leave a Legacy - McCrae died from illness later while still in France serving in World War I. But his name and memory have lived on for over a century because he decided to jot down a simple poem that came to him from a scene the day before. And those words continue to help people express their own remembrances for veterans all over the world.

If you have not yet read “In Flanders Fields,” here it is. Even if you have read it before, it can still move you.

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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.

— by John McCrae

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All facts and quotes sourced from Wikipedia and Veterans.GC.ca

About the Author of this Article:?Victor Prince is a?corporate trainer,?executive coach, and an Amazon Top 20 best-selling?leadership?author?who helps organizations build leadership, strategy, communications, and critical thinking?skills.?Follow Victor on?LinkedIN?to access his 100+ articles on?leadership,?strategy,?learning & development, and more.