Stand not at my grave and weep

...A tribute to Mary Elizabeth Frye's beautiful poem 'Do not stand at my grave and weep'...(This was so much my Mother)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographer: Bùi Linh Ngân.   This image has been modified from the original. The original image can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/linhngan/2580325511/. This image is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

 

Stand not at my grave and cry

…An adaptation of a poem by Mary Elizabeth Frye

(“Do not stand at my grave and weep”)

Oh, stand not at my grave and weep.

I am not there.  I do not sleep!

 

I am the thousand winds that blow.

I am the softly falling snow.

I am the gentle showers of rain,

And live in fields of ripening grain.

I am the calm of morning’s hush,

And I’m the oh so graceful rush

Of lofting birds in rapt’ous flight.

I am the shining stars at night.

 

I am the flower in fragrant bloom,

And I’m the glorious sun at noon.

I am the birds that joyous sing.

Yes, I’m in every lovely thing.

 

So, stand not at my grave and cry �"

I am not there.  I did not die.

 

 

©2010 Richard Puetter

All rights reserved

 

 

 

Notes:

 

Dear Reader,

 

                My poem is meant as a tribute to the beautiful poem of Mary Elizabeth Frye.  There are several versions of her poem (see Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_not_stand_at_my_grave_and_weep), but the most recent and confirmed version is given below.  I have adapted the poem with my personal preferences of word choice and meter and have used this at my mother’s “Celebration of Life” service in August of 2009.  Recently the mother of a good friend died and I was asked for a copy.  This made me think that others might enjoy and find comfort from either my version or one of Ms. Frye’s versions.  So I felt compelled to make this posting.

 

Best regards to all,

 

Rick

 

Do not stand at my grave and weep

…by Mary Elizabeth Frye

 

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 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.

Reviews

[Sheila Kline]

Dear Rick!

It is wonderful to see your version of this memorable poem!

Grief may invade every second of consciousness for a spirit heavy with feelings of hopelessness and loss, but in words as you have written, we may come to realize
that even grief may provide solitude and comfort if we allow our spirit to embrace the............

softly falling snow, the gentle showers of rain,

and

hear the birds singing, be a part of each lovely thing as we relate loss to those parts of life to happiness rather than sorrow which some consider an accepted emotion accompanying death!

Your adaptation is exquisite, and certainly has the power to provide to this reader who is an "old friend" to death and the pain that may accompany it, a feeling of lasting comfort!

You, Rick, have surely made Mary Elizabeth Frye smile as you have honored her gift of comfort to many! And, in beautiful form!

Best Regards,

Sheila

[Tate Morgan]

God thats beautiful and divine Just as it should be So beautiful .

[BreeBree1983]

One of my favorite poems.. well done!

[MoriartyMesa]

I can see this was only meant for one person, but thankfully you shared it. It can be anything to any reader, any loss, any missed moment, any fallen person.


It is not for just one, but speaks to many.

[Marie]

The grave holds only those who die
It cannot keep the ones who fly

[Wendy Seames Garner]

Strange, I read this in the morning and didn't leave a comment. Now I find out that about the time I read it, my dear aunt had just died. I had to come back and say thanks for sharing this, Rick.

[BLBrown]

Rick - this is so comforting for those left behind. I love your version as well as the original. This is something I might want read at my funeral some day. Thanks for sharing.

[John Jackson (El Juero)]

I read this beautiful poem at my Mother's funeral service last week. Your adaptation does great justice to a fine and timeless piece.
Glad I stopped by, as the 'moving on' process is beginning.
Thank you!

[Leslie Philibert]

An original idea with a touching personal background.I like both poems,you have introduced and adapted the original with some new metaphors, you have also changed the syntax of the starshine line.Good ideas,well written.

[Gobinder Singh Dhindsa]

Really brilliant feeling.... I like whole wording.... Keep it up... God bless you!

[Fabian G. Franklin]

This was beautiful and comforting. I enjoyed reading it for numerous reasons. I thought I might share this poem with you by Emily Bronte'...the last lines she ever wrote which I find greatly comforting as well:
No coward soul is mine,
No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere:
I see Heaven's glories shine,
And faith shines equal, arming me from fear.

O God within my breast,
Almighty, ever-present Deity!
Life--that in me has rest,
As I--undying Life--have power in thee!

Vain are the thousand creeds
That move men's hearts: unutterably vain;
Worthless as withered weeds,
Or idlest froth amid the boundless main,

To waken doubt in one
Holding so fast by thine infinity;
So surely anchored on
The stedfast rock of immortality.

With wide-embracing love
Thy spirit animates eternal years,
Pervades and broods above,
Changes, sustains, dissolves, creates, and rears.

Though earth and man were gone,
And suns and universes ceased to be,
And Thou were left alone,
Every existence would exist in Thee.

There is not room for Death,
Nor atom that his might could render void:
Thou--THOU art Being and Breath,
And what THOU art may never be destroyed

[Rick Puetter]

Hi Fabian,

We don' talk so much anymore. But time passes by, and people we love pass on. So that has just happened again to me (it has before, too). But I am looking again at your response to my poem and the poem you quoted to me. Very nice, my friend. If I didn't say so before, thank you for your contribution. This enriches my life and I can ask for any more from any friend. So very, very much appreciated.

[Rick Puetter]

...I can't ask for any more... Sorry for the typo. I am greatly appreciative.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I'm sorry, Rick. I'm just now seeing your message for some odd reason. I just lost my sister a few weeks ago to cancer so I understand completely. Take time to heal, my friend.