Do not stand at my grave and weep
February 9, 2008 1:25 am PoetryDo 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 glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
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!
Mary Frye (1932)
Stumble it!
February 12th, 2008 at 6:29 am
Always have wondered about this. Thanks for sharing.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:01 am
This is a very beautiful poem!
February 12th, 2008 at 11:45 am
I love this poem,have a copy of this after a family member passed.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
this has always been quite possibly the most touching and hopeful poem i’ve ever read… and i have read some good poems!
February 12th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
thanks for all your comments. hope it made someone
feel better about a loss.
michael
February 13th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Wonderful poem, thanks
February 14th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Isn’t this the real poem?
http://kibrahacha.com/poetry/collection/21.htm
February 14th, 2008 at 12:20 am
<p>Maybe, I found mine at
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/do-not-stand-at-my-grave-and-weep/</p>
February 14th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Wow thats a good poem i read it and was trying to remember where i had seen it before then i remembered it was from a card that my friend had shown me after her older brother died:[
February 17th, 2008 at 3:49 am
My grandmother showed me this poem when I was a girl (from a newspaper clipping), said she wanted it on her tombstone when she died.
February 17th, 2008 at 7:57 am
No, the version given here is the original. The version at http://kibrahacha.com/poetry/collection/21.htm is clearly marked “adapted”.
That is to say, someone rewrote it to be from the POV of the bereaved, instead of the dead person. Which is pretty silly, I think, since it completely discards the aretalogical weight of the original version.
- Peter
Copenhagen, Denmark
February 17th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
This is said in Desperate Housewives. beautiful!
February 17th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Here is a poem I wrote several years ago on the same subject
DEPARTURE
Last night I watched a ship depart,
As it sailed out to sea.
It took someone I loved away
Who meant so much to me.
I thought of good times that we’d had
Together on this shore;
Experiences of a true friendship,
That we would share no more.
Sadness filled my aching heart,
Where joy had always been.
I knew that never in this life,
Would I see my friend again.
Then a comfort filled my soul
And I would grieve no more.
What joy my friend would bring to those
Who wait on that far shore.
By R. Wayne Edwards
February 25th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
a beautiful poem
February 26th, 2008 at 10:08 am
The voice of the poem seems more natural and touching in the first person.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
This is a lovely thought provoking poem. It was recited at my husbands funeral although I did not fully appreciate it at the time.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Wow, very beautiful poem. I think I heard it the 1st time on Desperate Housewives. Very beautiful.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
To bad she is so misinformed. She’ll rise again. but she is dead now.
February 28th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
As an aside, I understand this is an adaptation of a Native American poem.
March 1st, 2008 at 5:52 pm
i love that poem, when my best friend died the priest read that. i couldn’t help but cry.
March 1st, 2008 at 5:52 pm
*priest/vicar same thing x
March 4th, 2008 at 6:05 am
That was very deep I for one know several people that i had to send that to.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:08 am
By Ron on Feb 28, 2008 | Reply
To bad she is so misinformed. She’ll rise again. but she is dead now.
I would like to know how the heck he knows. No one knows what happens. Anyone that says they do is either mentally impaired or an outright liar. All we can do is hope.
March 17th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
I became aware of this poem after the death of my son in August of 1983. It gives me great comfort. I plan to use it as part of a eulogy for my nephew.
April 12th, 2008 at 1:52 am
beautiful,used this for my mom when she passed away
April 12th, 2008 at 1:54 am
beautiful,used this when my mom passed away
April 12th, 2008 at 5:39 am
…not only is this iambically correct,
but a very meaningful belief in reincarnation
………and anyone that misses the meaning
is obviously not into reading beautiful
words over and over again
……….having written poetry myself i am
aware of the misinterpretations by others
………and as i have said before..oh well
April 28th, 2008 at 4:42 am
I FOUND THIS POEM TO TOUCH MY HEART STRINGS AS I PONDERED ABOUT MY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT PASSED.I WISHED I COULD HAVE HAD THIS POEM SPOKEN AT THEIR GRAVE SITE,,,,,,AND READ BY AN ANGEL
April 28th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
a beautiful poem, where do we go when we die? I also like this one…
by C.G. Rossetti- its called Remember me
Remember me when I am gone away
Gone far away into the silent land
Where you can no more hold me by the hand
and I half turn to go, yet turning stay
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned
only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve;
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
September 29th, 2008 at 5:31 am
Very nicely done.Gives comfort at the most needed time.
Please , if you have time, check out some of my poems on triond.com (goodselfme)Thank you
February 26th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Looks like she has gone away. Beautiful poetry I could read it every day.
March 29th, 2009 at 1:36 am
This is a very beautiful and touching poem. I first read it almost 9 years ago, at a Ren. Fest I attended with my mother and sister. I intended to buy the beautiful artwork that contained it, but opted not to. A week later, my mother passed away unexpectedly, and I suddenly wished I had bought it anyway. Thank you for sharing it, because I’ve been looking for it ever since, but could never find it, because I didn’t know the author. Thank you again, it means so much to me.
August 15th, 2010 at 6:36 am
Its Definitely good bookmarking for future reference.
March 5th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
This lovely poem was published in our local paper recently with the author as “Anonymous.” Thank you for sharing.