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Hello Creatives,
Note: This episode talks about World War 1; some listeners may find this topic upsetting.
The poppies that bloomed across the scarred battlefields of northern France and Belgium after the First World War ended became powerful symbols of remembrance that continue to this day.
In this moving episode, we journey through the poetry born from humanity's most devastating conflict, exploring verses that shaped modern literature and continue to touch hearts a century later.
War poetry offers us windows into experiences both universal and deeply personal.
We begin with the iconic "In Flanders Fields" by John McRae, whose haunting lines about poppies blowing between crosses capture the voices of those who never returned home.
These words take on added significance when you realise many of the youngest soldiers were just 16 years old—the same age many students encounter these poems in their GCSE studies today, just as I did when I was in highschool.
The Great War transformed literature, pushing it from romanticism into modernism, and influenced countless writers including J.R.R. Tolkien, whose battlefield experiences in 1916 later shaped his Lord of the Rings series, which would later go on to become one of the most famous and well-loved movie series of all time.
But perhaps most powerful are the diverse perspectives we encounter through this poetry—from Vera Brittain's heartbreaking "Perhaps" to Jesse Pope's celebration of "War Girls" who kept Britain running while men fought abroad. Marion Allen's "The Wind on the Downs" explores the ghostly presence of lost loved ones, while Margaret Postgate Cole's "The Falling Leaves" uses autumn as a devastating metaphor for fallen soldiers.
Take a moment to listen, reflect, and connect with these voices from the past. Their words remind us why we wear poppies each November—not just to honour the dead, but to understand their experiences and carry forward their hope for a more peaceful world.
What poems or stories from this era have touched you most deeply?
Share your thoughts and join our conversation about how literature helps us process and remember even the darkest chapters of human history.
Sleep Tight,
Florence x
The music in this episode is Open To Recieve by Outside The Sky
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Sleepless Creatives is hosted by Florence St Leger, and produced by Canary Studios.
The opening theme is Reflection by Birds of Norway.
