Today, December 8th, is the 100th anniversary of the first publication of
In Flanders Fields by Colonel (and Doctor) John McCrae. Millions of people who know nothing else about the Great War know those poignant stanzas and the haunting voice it provides to the dead soldiers. He wrote the poem at the Second Battle of Ypres in April of 1915, but it spread slowly among friends, and was not publicly known until December 8th, 1915, when it was first published by
Punch magasine in Britain. From there its fame grew, and it was soon one of the unforgettable symbols of the war.
As part of the ongoing Great War mega-event, we have put together a poetry competition:
In Flanders Fields Poetry CompetitionThis competition features 3 ways to win. Whether you are good at writing poetry, reciting poetry, or herding your friends to liking your posts, we have something for you.
- There is a poetry-writing competition, where you can privately submit your poem to a judging panel of mods and admins.
- There is a facebook-building competition, where you can post your poem on CC's Facebook page, and score points by gathering "likes".
- There is a recitation competition, where you can record yourself reciting the original poem, and demonstrate your dramatic talents.
All three competitions have an independent (and very generous) prize structure. You can enter one, two, or all three. In addition to the announced prizes, there are special unannounced mystery prizes.
Please be sure to visit the Competition Thread and participate!
