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Somewhat bemused by the comments above - I see the 5,11 and 14 but as to the rest (other than various ways to get the flowers -7) I am at a loss. Be grateful for some idea of what is going on.

thanks kobnut.

...stalk and stem ??? are between the crosses??

There is a POPPY on STALK, and a POPPY on STEM.
19 cells total.

And as in the verse, the flowers are growing out of the scene - and the weapons are below the singers.

And, the flowers are growing between three crosses.

I had missed STALK and STEM, since I was looking for only 49 cells. However it does seem likely that they should be included as the poem says, meaning that there should be 59 (not 49) cells highlighted.

I make it:
Flowers 19, singers 5, scene 14, weapons 11.
49 cells.
( I wonder why we are not asked to highlight the crosses?)

I had the Weapons as 4, as in the poem. I also had two crosses - the two that are actually on/in the scene.

All of which uncertainty in the editing process, where ambiguity is supposed to be found and eliminated, mars a truly excellent puzzle by Chalicea, incorporating as it does so much thematic material. (There's more birds down the RHS as well.)

Malone. I also wondered if it was just GUNS, which would be faithful to the poem. If so, this would give us seven cells for the crosses. This only works if we ignore the central one. Maybe that one is just there to act as some sort of definition/indicator? But, personally, l am not convinced.
Also wonder about "appropriate colours". What colour are the singers? Ditto the weapons. Or, if they are to be highlighted, the crosses?
Cockle, l now see those singers in the RH down column.
This sort of thing seems to often happen in lnq puzzles.