from the Poetry Archives thread:

>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.

(attributed to Mary E. Frye - Baltimore, Maryland ,
circa 1932, she is credited in the 'Best of Bereavement' poetry collection )
- some words were added by Wilbur Skeels,
so that the poem could turn into a song .

...
the original version reads :

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.


..........................
Editors of Reader's Digest had scheduled an article
on Mrs. Frye for their February 2000 issue.<