For Johnny, who e-mailed me, requesting a poem. It is probably one of the following:
Mary Frye, some words were added by Wilbur Skeels,
Carried on the wind (Do not stand at my grave and weep)
From the moment that he learned that she was gone
He began to remember all the wonderful things they'd done
And the things that she wanted to be when she grew old
Ended before they started and he felt his heart grow cold
And then the wind began to blow and on it he heard her voice
Sweet as he remembered telling him he had a choice
He could either dwell on the past
Or he could choose to see her
Still alive in the world they'd had
The wind said: Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there,
I do not sleep
Do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there,
I did not die
From the moment that he heard what the wind had said
That she was not alive because he had thought her dead
And if he remembered
And if he did his part
She would live forever
Forever within his heart
Because the wind said:
Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there,
I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn's rain
When you waken in the morning's hush I am the sweet uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight I am the soft star that shines at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there,
I did not die.
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Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on the snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die….
Mary Frye
Les
Post Edited (08-13-04 14:21)
When the time comes, my mom wants this read as we scatter her ashes...it's a great poem.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on the snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die….
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. (Aristotle)
Les, just curious, you don't mean me do you? I didn't email you
No, I'm pretty sure it was another, Johnny. Unless you changed your name recently.
Les
ok thanks.....was just concerned, either about identity theft or the onset of senility !
There is yet another version of this poem at the University of Toronto website. Both this one and Gwydion's are attributed to Mary Frye:
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight.
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there -- I do not die.
Les
I admit, this is the poem that I'm least likely to have read at my funeral- maybe I can commission Hugh to write some limericks instead!
pam
Yeah, I'm not really keen on this particular poem either. Many people here on
the forum like Dirge Without Music, but these lines don't sound very reassuring to mourners:
Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.
To me this sounds like someone complaining from the grave about their plight.
I do not think that would be at all comforting to a grieving family.
Les
And if anyone tries playing Amazing Grace at mine, I'm coming back to haunt them. Fortunately my family know my opinion of the tune. The words are quite acceptable, is there an alternative tune? (I don't read music.)
Did Richard Hell and the Voidoids do a version?....not sure
Check out the Dropkick Murphys version of Amazing Grace
I've heard it sung to the tune of "House of the Rising Sun". Trust me...it isn't pretty. Melissa
They're similar tunes in some ways, if blurred, it COULD be unappetizing !