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Q: Poem about death ( Answered,   3 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Poem about death
Category: Arts and Entertainment > Books and Literature
Asked by: donnaheller-ga
List Price: $25.00
Posted: 25 Jun 2002 17:32 PDT
Expires: 25 Jul 2002 17:32 PDT
Question ID: 33228
I am looking for the text of a poem that begins "Do not stand at my
grave and weep."  I have heard that it is a Native American poem.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Poem about death
Answered By: juggler-ga on 25 Jun 2002 18:07 PDT
 
Hello.

The poem is called "Goodbye." 

Although many web sites list the author as unknown, a few such as
Self-Help magazine attribute the poem to Gwydion Pendderwen.

Here is the text:

"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 morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circling 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."

Source: Self-Help magazine
http://www.shpm.com/articles/stress/meditate/death1.html

Here is more information about Gwydion Pendderwen from a web page
devoted to him on a web site called "PSYCHE VAN HET FOLK":
http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/Gwydion.html

Gwydion was also known as "Tom Delong."
See the results of this Google search:
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&client=googlet&q=%22tom+delong%22+gwydion&btnG=Google+Search

Search terms: "stand at my grave and weep"

I hope this helps.
Comments  
Subject: Re: Poem about death
From: blader-ga on 25 Jun 2002 18:12 PDT
 
There are also many sources that attribute the poem to one Mary E.
Frye, written in 1932.

Here are some links to make such an attribution:
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF8&safe=off&q=%22Do+not+stand+at+my+grave+and+weep%22+mary+frye

Best Regards,
blader-ga
Subject: Re: Poem about death
From: juggler-ga on 25 Jun 2002 19:47 PDT
 
Thanks, blader.

I notice that the a few other "authors" cited are:

"Joyce Fossen"
http://teachers.olathe.k12.ks.us/~dcoxit/veterans.htm

"Dayton Edwards"
http://www.goodshare.org/birthday.htm

The Hopi tribe:
http://www.holistic.com/holistic/learning.nsf/31efaf81faf8de6a87256906004b973a/cc6843f7d360bcc787256adb007c7315!OpenDocument
Subject: Re: Poem about death
From: mr_unix-ga on 25 Jun 2002 21:32 PDT
 
I was actually able to find a site showing two different versions of
the poem and attributing two different authors.

have a look at this:

http://www.cantusquercus.com/9611text.htm

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