Do not stand at my grave and weepMary Elizabeth Frye

(1905-2004)

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MEET THE POET

Mary Elizabeth Frye (November 13, 1905 – September 15, 2004) was an American housewife and florist, best known as the author of the poem Do not stand at my grave and weep, written in 1932. She was born in Dayton, Ohio, and was orphaned at the age of three. She moved to Baltimore, Maryland, when she was twelve. In 1927 she married Claud Frye, who ran a clothing business, while she grew and sold flowers. The poem for which she became famous was originally composed on a brown paper shopping bag, and was reportedly inspired by the story of a young Jewish girl, Margaret Schwarzkopf, who had been staying with the Frye household.

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MEET THE POET

BBC's Bookworm, conducted a poll to discover the nation's favorite poems and "Do not stand at my grave and weep" was one of the most favored poems. Because people liked her twelve-line, untitled verse, Frye made many copies and circulated them privately. She never published or copyrighted the poem.The identity of the author of the poem was unknown until the late 1990s, when Frye revealed that she had written it. Her claim was confirmed in 1998 after research by Abigail Van Buren.

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Do not stand at my grave and weep

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 awake in the morning's hushI am the swift uplifting rushOf quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft star-shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry.. I am not there. I did not die.

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SUMMARY• THE POEM OFFERS A MORE INSPIRATIONAL AN5D COMFORTING VIEW OF DEATH. THE PERSON WHO HAS PASSED AWAY IS

LEAVING THIS MESSAGE TO HER LOVED ONES. ALTHOUGH HER BODY IS BURIED, SHE IS NO LONGER THERE. SHE HAS MOVED ON TO A BETTER PLACE AND SHE WANTS THOSE LEFT IN MOURNING TO REMEMBER THAT SHE IS NOT GONE FOREVER.

• SHE WILL STILL BE WITH THEM IN MEMORY AND THOUGHT. SHE DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO BE SAD AFTER HER DEATH. SHE SAYS THAT SHE IS AT A BETTER PLACE SO WHY DOES ANYONE NEED TO FEEL SAD FOR HER, WHEN ACTUALLY SHE IS BETTER OFF.

• THIS PERSON IS EXPRESSING ALL THE WAYS SHE IS STILL PRESENT AND USES DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF NATURE THAT SYMBOLIZE FREEDOM, HAPPINESS AND RELIEF. HER FAMILY CAN THINK OF HER WHEN THEY SEE THE SNOW OR FEEL THE WIND. THE AUTHOR SAYS THAT SHE WILL SHINE LIKE A SUN WHICH WILL MAKE THE GRAIN AS RIPENED THEMSELVES. ALSO SHE COMPARES AS THE GENTLE AUTUMN RAIN, WHICH WILL KEEP HER HAPPY. NOW, THE AUTHOR COMPARES THE MORNING RUSH THAT AWAKE HER AND GRACEFUL BIRDS FLYING AROUND IN CIRCLES AND STARS STANDING OUT AGAINST A DARK SKY. SHE IS TELLING HER FAMILY AND NEAR AND DEAR ONES THAT SHE IS ALWAYS AROUND HER. IT IS JUST THAT THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR THOUGHTS AND THE WAY THEY SEE AND FEEL THE THINGS AROUND. SHE WILL BE THERE, VERY NEAR TO THEM, AND WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE WHENEVER THEY WANT TO SEE HER AND FEEL HER. SHE IS AMONG THEM IN EVERY NATURAL BEING CREATED BY THE GOD. THIS AUTHOR ONCE AGAIN REMINDS LOVED ONES THAT SHE IS NOT REALLY GONE AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY. SHE IS NOT DEAD OR GONE FOREVER. THE MEMORY OF THE INDIVIDUAL WILL BE LEFT ON EARTH. HER SPIRIT IS HAPPY AND AT PEACE. SHE HOPES THESE WORDS CAN BRING PEACE TO LOVED ONES AS WELL.

• ONCE AGAIN SHE IS TRYING TO CONSOLE THE FAMILY AND HER NEAR ONES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT CRY OR BE SAD BY THINKING THAT SHE IS DEAD OR GONE FOREVER. SHE IS ALWAYS BE PRESENT AMONG THEM, BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. THEY MUST REMEMBER AND CHERISH HER IN THE TIME THEY SPENT TOGETHER WITH HER AND THE SWEET MEMORIES THEY HAD WITH HER.

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