November 11, 2018
This day marks the centennial of the end of the First World War--the armistice. Last year--April,6--I attended the commemoration of the entry of the United States into that war.
The World War 1 Memorial and Museum in Kansas City is the location.
Missouri
The evening before (and for several days earlier) the memorial has been lit at night by the image of thousands of poppies.
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.
As is appropriate, the ceremonies for the end of the war are more subdued than the commemoration of its beginning.
Reenactors in period dress representing participants from the allied forces.
Members of the armed forces from different allied countries giving readings of letters and other writings from the war.
Final laying of the wreaths.
The Armistice Bell was rung 21 times at 11:00am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
You could hear bells from all across Kansas City ringing at the same time.