WRITERS' CIRCLE
Hello Writers' Circle! Your group will explore remembrance words that help remember those who served in the First World War.
What are words of remembrance?
Remembrance words can help us learn about the First World War and honour those who served in it. They are words carved into the headstones in cemeteries. They are also found in the letters, diaries, songs and poems written by soldiers and others during or after the war.
What are words of remembrance?
Remembrance words can help us learn about the First World War and honour those who served in it. They are words carved into the headstones in cemeteries. They are also found in the letters, diaries, songs and poems written by soldiers and others during or after the war.
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 A Pittance Of Time
Written by Terry Kelly © Jefter Publishing - SOCAN They fought and some died for their homeland. They fought and some died, now it's our land. Look at his little child; there's no fear in her eyes. Could he not show respect for other dads who have died? Take two minutes, would you mind? It's a pittance of time, For the boys and the girls who went over. In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died. It's a pittance of time. God forgive me for wanting to strike him. Give me strength so as not to be like him. My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips, My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists. But two minutes I will bide. It's a pittance of time, For the boys and the girls who went over. In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died. It's a pittance of time. Read the letters and poems of the heroes at home. They have casualties, battles, and fears of their own. There's a price to be paid if you go, if you stay. Freedom's fought for and won in numerous ways. Take two minutes, would you mind? It's a pittance of time, For the boys and the girls all over. May we never forget, our young become vets. At the end of the line, it's a pittance of time. It takes courage to fight in your own war. It takes courage to fight someone else's war. Our peacekeepers tell of their own living hell. They bring hope to foreign lands that hatemongers can't kill. Take two minutes, would you mind? It's a pittance of time, For the boys and the girls who go over. In peacetime our best still don battle dress And lay their lives on the line. It's a pittance of time In peace may they rest, lest we forget why they died. Take a pittance of time. |
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The Trews - Highway Of Heroes LyricsThe day I shipped out,
They numbered a dozen. Upon my return, Were a hundred or so. From the coast and from the prairies, I bet they keep coming. add one more name from Ontario. Chorus: Carry me home down The Highway of Heroes. People above with their flags flying low. Carry me softly, down The Highway of Heroes. True Patriot Love, There was never more. I served with distinction, No visions of glory. I served without question, Or personal gain. Seek no justification, Its not part of my story. and it offers No comfort to the ones who remain. Chorus: Just carry me home down The Highway of Heroes. People above with their flags flying low. Carry me softly, down The Highway of Heroes. True Patriot Love, There was never more. I took up my vocation, I was called by my nation. Without hesitation, My answer I gave. Now I am not wondering, the things that I might have been. I'm no consolation, To the forgotten brave. Chorus: So Carry me home down The Highway of Heroes. People above with their flags flying low. Carry me softly, down The Highway of Heroes. True Patriot Love, There was never more. Chorus: Carry me home down The Highway of Heroes. People I love with their heads held low. Carry me softly, down The Highway of Heroes. True Patriot Love, |
Soldiers Cry
Talk of trouble is sent through the country And we need an army To fight for the right Young men enlist and are sent to the battle To fight the offender and help our allies And the young men cry Oh Canada Well gladly go and fight for thee And the young men cry Oh Canada Well fight to keep you free The battles raging Gun fire is blazing A tired young soldier is clinging to life Hes ordered off And obeys by advancing No hope of returning from the enemy fire And the soldier cries Oh Canada If it must be so, Ill die for thee And the soldier cries Oh Canada Ill die to keep you free And we all miss oh Canada The land where we all used to be And we all long for Canada The true north strong and free And the soldier cries Oh Canada If it must be so, Ill die for thee And the soldier cries Oh Canada Ill die to keep you free Far away we had seen a great danger And yet theres a danger much greater within The noise we make as we constantly bicker Would hush not a whisper if we listen to him All the thousands cry Oh Canada Is that why we have died for thee? And the soldiers cry Oh Canada We died to keep you free And the soldier cries oh Canada Be true And strong For me Remembrance Day
Lyrics by Bryan Adams For our king and our country and the promise of glory We came from Kingston and Brighton to fight on the front line Just lads from the farms and boys from the cities Not meant to be soldiers we lay in the trenches We'd face the fighting with a smile - or so we said If only we had known what danger lay ahead The sky turned to grey as we went into battle On the fields of Europe young men were fallin' I'll be back for you someday - it won't be long If I can just hold on 'til this bloody war is over The guns will be silent on Remembrance Day There'll be no more fighting on Remembrance Day By October of 18 Cambrai had fallen Soon the war would be over and we'd be returnin' Don't forget me while I'm gone far away Well it won't be long 'till I'm back there in your arms again One day soon - I don't know when You know we'll all be free and the bells of peace will ring again The time will come for you and me We'll be goin' home when this bloody war is ended The guns will be silent on Remembrance Day We'll all say a prayer on Remembrance Day On Remembrance Day - say a little prayer On Remembrance Day Well the guns will be silent Oh There'll be no more fighting We'll lay down our weapons On Remembrance Day |
Other resources:
Your Task
Your own words can help you remember too. Your group will write your own remembrance words in the form of a FOUND POEM about Canada's First World War Veterans and what they represented to Canadians.
Your own words can help you remember too. Your group will write your own remembrance words in the form of a FOUND POEM about Canada's First World War Veterans and what they represented to Canadians.
- Carefully re-read the words to the texts you have chosen, and look for 50-100 different words that stand out to you in the passages. Highlight or underline details, words and phrases that you find particularly powerful, moving or interesting. Note especially examples that reflect Canada’s First World War veterans and what they represented.
- On a separate sheet of paper, make a list of the details, words and phrases you underlined/ highlighted, keeping them in the order that you found them. Feel free to add others that you notice as you go through your poems/songs again.
- Go back over the list and cut out everything that is unnecessary, or that just doesn't seem right for a poem about war. Try to cut the original list in half.
- Make any minor changes necessary to create your poem. You can change punctuation and make little changes to the words to make them fit together (such as change the tenses, possessives, plurals, and capitalizations).
- When you’re close to an edited down version, if you absolutely need to add a word or two to make the poem flow more smoothly, to make sense, to make a point, you may add up to two words of your own. That’s two (2) and only two!
- Copy the words and phrases into your journal or type them in a word processor. Space or arrange the words so that they’re poem-like. Pay attention to line breaks, layout, and other elements that will emphasize important words or significant ideas in the poem.
• Read aloud as you arrange the words! Test the possible line breaks by pausing slightly. If it sounds good, it’s probably right.
• Arrange the words so that they make a rhythm you like. You can space words out so that they are all alone or allruntogether.
• You can also put key words on lines by themselves.
• You can shape the entire poem so that it’s wide or tall or shaped like an object (say a poppy?).