We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies. (We Shall Keep the Faith)
In November of 1918, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” Moina Michael replied with her own poem, cited above. She then conceived of wearing red poppies on Memorial day to honor those who died serving the nation during war. She sold poppies as a fundraiser to benefit needy veterans. When Madam Guerin, a visitor to the United States from France, learned of this new custom she began making artificial red poppies to raise money for French war orphans and widows. The Red Poppy tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children’s League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922, the VFW became the first veterans’ organization to nationally sell Red Poppies. Two years later their “Buddy” Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948, the US Post Office honored Moina Michael for founding the National Poppy movement with a three cent postage stamp with her likeness upon it.
The image, Poppy at Lion House, was originally uploaded by Edna Barney. It is posted here from Barneykin’s 
account.
Visit Neddy’s Archives for more of Edna’s writings.
Vanishing Memories 
Miss Michael could not have written her “Reply” as the McCrae poem was only published on Dec. 8 1915 over in London England, in PUNCH magazine. She also would not have been interested, and her country would not enter the war for another 2 years, and at that date civilians fussing about wearing a fake poppy would not be appropriate.
Her poem was composed in New York when US troops were in that area, in 1918, Nov. 9, apparently later published by a YMCA newsletter.
Her reaction would not have been to such a well-known soldier poem (Canadian) as “In Flanders Fields” – lots of “Replies” appearing in print and even musically.
What struck a American was an American painting of American doughboys, used in advertising/promotion of surgical supplies, placed in the Thanksgiving issue of the Ladies’ Home Journal – startling full colour in a black and white issue – which coincided with an Armistice in the fighting. Bauer and Black ad,
You can google and pick up an image, dated and page number shown.
M. — I am sorry for the typo. Thank you for taking the time to point it out to me. I have corrected it.
Americans might be interested in tracking 1915 ‘In Flanders Fields’ as it became known in the United States following its publication just before Christmas 1918 in England. As early as 1916 “Answers” were being published, as the US entered the war even set to music by Spross, Sousa and others.
By early 1918 spring, your troops in Europe, more responses are composed re his challenge to continue the fight to defeat the enemy and your own soldiers lying in Flanders fields. Galbreath, Lillard, Negley, Mitchell, Armstrong…Of interest on the TRENCHART website are images of decorated
shells using the Canadian soldier poem and American civilian one. Wonder
sometime how many in the now realize IFF was written by a foreigner, it being so adopted by your war culture. If anyone knows more of the use at Arlington Cemetery of IFF and Canadian Edna Jaques’ post Armistice poem “Flanders
Now” it would be interesting. Bauer & Black was still advertising the Philip Lyford ad imagery for a 1919 calendar !