Sometimes, loss comes suddenly, unexpectedly. You feel like your world is falling apart, and you desperately need someone to be there for you. If the unthinkable happened and your heart is aching and beating in pain, the poem “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” will be a source of healing and constant consolation.
Written by a tender soul who knew loss, felt loss, and befriended loss, it encapsulates an unshakable belief in the interconnectedness of all that is. Its message of hope and renewal has helped hundreds of thousands find peace of mind.
Read the original poem below and then treat yourself to an uplifting performance of “Do Not Stand by My Grave and Weep” by One Voice Children’s Choir under the direction of Masa Fukuda and music by Robert Prizeman. Both versions, although slightly different in presentation and content, make us believe that we are never alone and our loved ones are always here with us.
DO NO STAND AT MY GRAVE AND WEEP
Do not stand
By my grave, and weep.
I am not there,
I do not sleep —
I am the thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints in snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle, autumn rain.
As you awake with morning’s hush,
I am the swift, up-lifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight,
I am the day transcending night.
Do not stand
By my grave, and cry —
I am not there,
I did not die.
Here’s another version by One Voice Children’s Choir:
Complement “Do Not Stand by My Grave and Weep” with The Buddha’s teaching on overcoming grief and then revisit the art of jisei, a Japanese death poem.
I’m a freelance writer and mindfulness advocate behind this blog. What you see here is the combination of my three favorite things: reading, writing, and mindfulness. While you’re here, subscribe to my blog updates and gain access to free mindfulness resources for stress relief.
