The poppy came to symbolize the blood shed during battle following the publication of the wartime poem “In Flanders Fields.” The poem was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, M.D. while serving on the front lines. In 1924, the distribution of poppies became a national program of The American Legion. Photo illustration by Annie Spratt on Unsplash. The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses: who has not heard them? They have a silence that speaks for them at night... Columns 09 Nov 2021 | 10:08