I had posted the poem in my blog because at the time I had heard the song on "Third Watch", the anniversary of my father's passing was just a couple of days off, and I was feeling kinda down in the dumps. It was heard by me at the right time, so it was fate that I just happened to watch the final ten minutes or so of that program.

My b/f's parents died 18 and 19 years ago, so I sent a copy of the poem to him, but since I sent it via email, and he doesn't have a computer at home yet, I doubt he's gotten it yet. I did tell him about it when I spoke to him on the phone recently (we're currently living in different states), and he said he'd get to a computer to read it.

Its being on TV at that particular time had a comforting effect on me. You never know where something like that is going to pop up just when you need it.

--TanksGrrl

Thatpoem has a little history in my home.
It was a poem my Uncle Scott had cut out and pasted to a mirror.And gave to his mother.
She always cared for the poem.And I never new who had wrote it.My uncle Scott was an MP for RAF.Henever recovered from an illness.I think he was telling grand mamma,not to worry have faith.She was a guardian,and the poem was a scripture.Sus nice to think about them both again.This has been doubly good for me.As my grandmother gets older,I worry out of not being with her.But with a little miracle I hope she can feel my miss.And lost for her son.Its sad that we can only pray,its sad waht happens everyday.I want to live to be old.But then after that you die I am told.

That poem was read at my Dad's funeral. Altho' it says not to weep, I get teary eyed every time I read it.

Another angle on the poem 'Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep' can be found at our website www.toallmylovedones.com. There's an article in pdf form which discusses the origin of the poem.

Regards

Paul

You can hear a 30 second clip of the song at http://store.wbr.com/store/product.asp?upc=093624841722 I hope this helps.

Thank you. I too have been searching for this poem. I saw it many years ago in Ann Landers column, clipped it, but have since lost it. With the recent passing of my Dad and Grandma, I wanted to have those the words.

I read that poem at my sister's funeral service back in April. I had tried to do research on it ahead of time, not knowing the correct title nor the poet. I found it on an Irish website, so I assumed it was a Irish. I and my family got such comfort in the words, like it was written for my sister. I had to make copies for everyone. I'm glad I found out the author (Mary Frye) and the song that Lizzie West sings is beautiful.
JQI

That poem was read at my friend Brittney's funeral last year, she was 15 years old when she commited suicide. It is the hardest thing i have ever had to deal with, loosing one of your closet friends really insn't easy. I searched for months for that song after hearing it on third watch, just hearing it made me break out in hysterics. Its so beautiful.
Lisa
love you forever n always Britt!RIP

I wanted to say this poem at my grand dad's funerals 2 years ago, but I'm French and no one would have understood it; so I said "l'Adieu" by Appolinaire instead, but even if it's a beautiful poem, I was very frustrated not to be able to say this one...

The sung version of the poem "Do not stand at my grave and weep" was sung at my father's funeral. He died just over two years ago of a heart attack, i was only 12 at the time. Even though the poem tells us not to weep I cry every time I read the poem.
The poem touched something inside of me, it's words are so beatiful.

I recently found out that this poem was read at a friends funeral who passed away Oct 2003 but unfortunately i was unable to attend but many of my other friends who lived in the area made it.

I was filled in on a bit more of his history from my friends who made it to the funeral and spoke with his father and they found out that his mother committed suicide when he was young and he tried to follow her by attempting to hang himself at the age of about ten , he had a scar on his neck which i always wondered about but never asked him and all these years later i have found out.

I also discovered he studied at Eaton and he was a promising orchstral musician and that he was married at point not sure if he had children though!? , I met John Bragg(my old friend) when he came to my hometown of Thurso(north Scotland) for the surf which was a passion of his and he was looking for some surfboards and i sold him a couple of spares i had and from that point i befriended him.

In my eyes John was physically huge six foot plus and a well built bloke who was completely harmless to all and he was a searcher looking for answers through altered states of mind , i have know doubt that the passing of his mother when he was young had a profound effect on John which broke something inside which caused him to reject himself and the love of others , his father is a very wealthy man and yet John chose to live a Nomadic lifestyle living on very little money and sometimes in awful conditions but yet he was happy he yearned for nothing in terms of material things.

When i found out John had passed away in cornwall St Agnes ( heroin overdose ), i was on holiday with my family on the isle of Skye and during the holiday i reflected on the times we shared as friends and every night there was an amazing display of Northern LIghts and i like to think that John had something to do with that somehow , one night i was watching the display of Northern Lights alone and i had been drinking and i was angry with him for not saying goodbye thus causing me to shout at the sky and i swear the Norhtern LIghts began to flair brighter in recognition of my grief and sorrow for my Nomadic surfing friend John Bragg> farewell my old friend.

Now that i am aware that this poem was a favourite of his i will read it occasionally and think of him and wish him well and remember the days i spent in his company as friends , surfers and searcher , i hope he found what he was looking for.

Thank you so much for the information on this poem. I knew the first time I read this peom that I wanted it read at my funeral. (I have no intenteion of dying in the near future, just planning ahead) My Aunt recently lost her husband of 60+ years and I forwarded it to her. I also decided it was time to let my children know I want it read at my funeral. Thank YOu!

The poem was read at a funeral on JOAN OF ARCADIA on 9 January 2004

I sang the song for this poem in the summer of 2003 with a small, non-profit choir group that was touring cathedrals. I will say, that we stopped in the redwood forest and out of all of the cathedrals and holy places we'd been in, that was certainly the perfect place to have it sung. I just recently wrote down this poem and I believe that it is a beautiful asset to both poetic and musical worlds.

Thanks so much for posting this - it's my favourite poem and when I saw the Alias episode, I was just sitting there until I jumped up and realised that it was the poem!

HEY,I CANNOT BELIEVE ALL THESE WEB-SITES ON "do not stand at my grave and weep"!I HAVE KNOWN THE POEM FOR MANY YEARS.I WAS TRAVELLING HOME WITH A FRIEND A FEW YEARS AGO,I PROBABLY HAD ONE TOO MANY,AND HE CHALLENGED ME TO MAKE UP A SONG ON THE SPOT.SO I STARTED SINGING THE ROCK VERSION OF THE POEM INSTANTLY,HE COULDNT BELIEVE IT WAS SO INSTANT AND SAID I OUGHT TO RECORD IT AS A SONG.A FEW MONTHS LATER HE SUDDENLY DIED (BLESS YOUR SOUL MICKEY )AND WHEN I WAS AT HIS FUNERAL I COULD HEAR THE SONG IN MY HEAD.I SAID THE POEM SILENTLY IN MY HEAD AND FELT COMFORTED.I COULDNT FIND OUT WHO HAD WRITTEN IT,BUT I RECORDED THE SONG HOPING THERE WAS NO OTHER SONGS OR COPYWRIGHT.ANYWAY ITS CALLED
" A THOUSAND WINDS THAT BLOW "
AND ITS ON MY WEB-SITE, AND ITS FREE TO DOWNLOAD. whiskywilly.com
CHEERS WHISKY WILLY

Hey PG,

Thanks for the info on the poem. I used it in the eulogy when my grandmother died, and wrote about the experience on livejournal (http://www.livejournal.com/users/rayinaustin/2004/04/10). Somebody read it and pointed me here.

Thanks a bunch.

Thanks for what was nagging YOU for years to find those words. That helped me find them in a moments time; a thought to look on the internet, and a quick search brought you up first. Thanks again for your follow through and website. Now I can pass on the comforting too.

i love you promoguy!! i have been looking for that song for about 3 days now. the one by lizzie west. people i asked had heard of the poem, but no one seemed to know that the song existed.

thank you very much

I have used this poem many times in my capacity as an officiate. the version I had listed the author as anonymous. I first acquired it at an Indian powwow.
Thank you so much for posting the information and the link to the poem. My cousin whom I loved very much died two days ago and I couldn't find my copy of this perfect memorial poem. Now I can read it at her service. Yes, I will weep, but for myself because I'll miss her so much.
You've done a great many people a wonderful service. Thank you.

My nephew recently passed away as a result of an automobile accident. I'm not sure whether this poem was read during the burial of him or what, but I do know it is posted in the program guide of the procession. I've recently came across the poem for the third time since his passing on June 10 and each time I come across it, it gives me such a blessed feeling.

I can't believe that I stumbled upon this site. I have been searching for this poem (SONG) sung by whoever sang it in Third Watch ... since I heard it. I had found it by a couple of other singers also .... but they just don't compare. So thank you so much. I went to WinMX and downloaded it for FREE. I clicked on search and typed in "Lizzie West" ... it brought up the song and I had it downloaded in 2 minutes. You might want to go there and get it. I love it.

So thanks again.
Lonelyemerald

I read this poem 12 years ago in an Ann Landers column. I was 19 years old. I cut it out and tucked it away. You see, my brother had just been diagnosed with AIDS and was told it was a matter of months. Fortunately, I was able to spend another 2 years with him before his passing.

When he died, I had to 'keep it together'. Although I was closer to my brother than anyone in my life, I did not cry. That is, until the funeral after I recited the poem. I made it through the recitation but I was immediately overwhelmed and almost fell from the stage in an emotional torrent of tears.

I still have the clipping tucked away for safe keeping. I often recite this poem when visiting my brother's grave. I truly feel him surrounding me. I see him in the trees and hear his whisper through the wind. I love and miss you Lawrence.

When my son died of a heart attack at age 21, I was checking his obit in the paper for accuracy and came upon that poem. A woman had posted it as a memorial for the first anniversary of her child's death. That poem meant so much to me at the time. I cut it out and placed it in a book. But over the years I lost it. Now my husband's passed and I need it again. God bless you for having it on your site. It's so very comforting because there's truth in those words. That serves as a reminder that those who pass are free at least.

I was looking for a poem my dad a retired airline pilot used to recite about the last flight west. If you by chance ever run across it please let me know.

Thanks,
Terri Hollowell

I found this poem as a result of trying to find out about John Bragg so thankyou Ben Tait for what you wrote. It is a beautiful poem and very suitable for John and it is good to think of him in the wind , ashe often was either on his surf board or that tiney bike he had.

if anyone runs across a copy of a poem that was posted in ann landers column many years ago titled My name is Cocaine by an unknown author plese contact me at this email address sofine592000@yahoo.com thanks

Thank you a million times over! I've been looking for Lizzie West's "Prayer" forever. I didn't know the name or singer. I kept finding the poem, Mary Frye, countless memorials to loved ones (one to a cat on Youtube that I had to turn off because it was making me cry), many Japanese versions etc., but not the song I was looking for. You just saved me so much time and frustration.
I heard it on Alias, Dianne Dixon's funeral.
Thank you again.

Watching Public Television's Mystery, a young girl speaks this so beautifully for her friend that I went online to see if it was put up by someone. Thanks for finding it, and the story behind it. I think we all find a great truth in this one. We are life.
Harley