Analysis and Reflections on 'In Flanders Fields' and Its Poetic Structure

In Flanders fields the poppies blow A

Between the crosses, row on row, A

That mark our place; and in the sky B

The larks, still bravely singing, fly B

Scarce heard amid the guns below. A

We are the Dead. Short days ago A

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, A

Loved and were loved, and now we lie, B

In Flanders fields. C

Take up our quarrel with the foe: A

To you from failing hands we throw A

The torch; be yours to hold it high. B

If ye break faith with us who die B

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow A

In Flanders fields. C

Analysis of Poetry

The poem has 15 lines, divided into three stanzas: the first one includes five lines, the second one four lines and the last stanza six lines. Each line has an irregular length, begin with a capital letter and all are aligned.
There is a rhyme scheme (AABBA-AABC-AABBAC). There are seven run-on lines: lines 1-2, (“the poppies blow Between the crosses”); lines 3-4, (“and in the sky The larks”); lines 4-5, (“fly Scarce heard amid the guns below”); lines 6-7, (“Short days ago We lived”); lines 11-12, (“To you from failing hands we throw The torch”); lines 13-14, (“If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep”); lines 14-15, (“though poppies grow In Flanders fields”). In addition, there are four end-stopped lines (lines 5-9-12-15) and a consonance (lines 1-2, “blow-row”).

There is the repetition of three world: lines 1-9-15, “In Flanders Fields”; lines 1-14, “Poppies”; lines 6-7-8-11, “We”.

Personal Reflections

In conclusion, I like this poem, especially the last stanza where the dead soldiers throw them the torch (symbol of hope), hoping they will take up their quarrel with the foe ( lines 10-11-12). We can connect this poem with the song “In Flanders Fields”, composed by Roger Emerson and John Jacobson.