Poppy Fields: A Historical Detour

Poppy Fields in the Somme

Poppy Field in the Somme (Picardy). I’m glad that we stopped, we saw this field from afar and decided to make a detour and take pictures. I got some gorgeous shots and got to appreciate the history of this land. I like how it looks like a mural, if you can get your eyes around the phone lines, that is.

In those fields, boys from Britain and France died while doing their duty in the battle of Albert (July 1916). And now one minute of silence in their memory.

The beauty from the battle-scarred fields is illuminated, and there is a remembrance for those of the Armed-Forces communities.

More Poppy field pictures from the Somme.

HDR view, and menacing clouds …

Non HDR, at the exact same place… Still, the poppies are the focal point, your eyes are drawn to them. I think poppies are one of the most beautiful flowers, I do love the symbolism of sunshine from sunflowers, but poppies shine through for me.

The symbol of the poppy is well-known, it stands for remembrance, hope, positive future, and peace for the world. The poppy is a symbol for the Armed-Forces communities, those who have served, are serving, and family and friends of those. In the fields that battles occurred in wars, such as WWI, people saw poppies start to emerge, through all the blood and fighting, they saw the good that bloomed through.

Amazing poppies, that speak for themselves. I’d like to think each poppy represents the lives and hard work of those who fought for us, and allowed us to be where we are today.

To symbolize the sacrifice from WWI, a Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel, John McCrae wrote a poem. He wrote ‘In Flanders Fields’ after the loss of a friend, Alexis Hemler, in the Second Battle of Ypres.

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 (1872-1918)

Thousands and thousands of them…with a colourfade filter. The poppies are accentuated here even more than in normal color, though I like both.

Here is another shot I like, not near the Somme but these poppies are in Fiesole, Italy, near Firenze. These poppies bloomed from the ruins of a Roman amphitheater. Beauty blooms from bad.

Another shot of some poppies, in Iceland this time, blooming in orange, white and yellow.

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Emilie Leger

My name is Emilie Leger. I am a Public Relations and Sports Media & Communications major studying at the University of Rhode Island. My concentrations are in Social Media and Photography. I am currently interning abroad in Paris France.