"Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep"
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 rain.
When you awaken in the mornings hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight,
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die.
~~Author unknown
Came across these words watching an old episode of Third Watch this morning. "My Opening Farewell" first ran in 2003 and ended with a prophetic voice singing,
"Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die..."
I had one of those moments. Inspiration. Divine touch. Indigestion. Whatever you want to call it. Anyway, I had to memorialize the poem in my own way. I wish I knew who wrote it.
Steve Cummins often gets credit because he placed the poem in a sealed envelope at the front door of his parent's home before he went off to war. They were only supposed to read it upon hearing of his death. He may have just really liked the poem and had no idea who wrote it, so he gave credit to this infamous Anonymous guy no one seems to know.
Solid evidence and dipute goes to Mary Elizabeth Frye who lived from 1905 to 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland. She is reported to have written the poem after her best friend who was of German Jewish descent wasn't able to visit her own mother's funeral in Germany due to the obvious anti-Semitic sentiment at the time. She said to Mary one day when discussing her mother's funeral that she was unable to, "Stand at my mother's grave and say goodbye." That has been attributed to Mary penning the poem.
My favorite is that it is often called an Old Indian Prayer.
It is a common practice among military and sailors as well as others who hear of it to have the poem read at their funeral.
Katherine Jenkins has a powerful voice, but she sings a very classical version. Libera has a beautiful voice as well, but it's an equally powerful new age version.
Oddly enough, it is "Prayer" from Lizzie West's Holy Road: Freedom Songs CD. That would most likely be reminiscent of Old Indian Prayer. The lyrics are very closely adapted to those above.
"Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in 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 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."
If you would like to hear it, listen
Lizzie West Prayer