Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

May, more than any other month, is a time to set aside our petty neighborhood squabbles and reflect on the sacrifices so many men and women of this country have made to keep us free.

Included among the notable days of reflection are Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day, not to mention Mother's Day. Symbolic of these somber times is the poppy flower, which the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars have for many years adopted as their fundraising figure.

The red poppy became associated with war after the publication of a poem written by Col. John McCrae of Canada during World War I, says the Web site of the VFW. The poem, "In Flanders Fields," describes blowing red fields among the battleground of the fallen.

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae

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.

In the fall of 1920, the American Legion (and later the VFW) began Poppy and Buddy Poppy programs. These drives were aimed at raising money to help support returning veterans as well as dependents. The red paper poppies that you receive with every donation you make during Poppy Days are hand-made in VA Hospitals and Centers by our disabled and disadvantaged veterans.

What does the poppy represent?

Back to the TCPalm for one of the more beautiful explanations I've seen:

The poppy was not chosen at random; its symbolism is both powerful and compelling.

• The petals of red stand for the vast outpouring of blood
  
• The yellow and black center, the mud and desolation of all battlefields
  
• The green of the stem is symbolic of the forests, meadows and fields where generations of Americans have perished to make generations free.
  
• The stem represents the courage and determination of our fallen warriors.

The assembled product, a flower, is a symbol of Resurrection, which is sure to follow.

Poppy Days: Dates, Drives, and Donations

And now, it's our turn: please help out in whatever way you can by thumbing through the Poppy Days: Dates, Drives, and Donations page I've set up for us. You'll find a listing of local drive dates, creative ways to contribute, and easy online actions you can take to show your brotherhood/sisterhood with these American citizens who've been asked to sacrifice so much.

Thank you!