In 1932, Mary Elizabeth Frye (1905-2004), an American, wrote a short poem to comfort a friend.

  • 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 circled flight.
    I am the soft stars that shine at night.
    Do not stand at my grave and cry;
    I am not there. I did not die.


Quote:
... the plight of a German Jewish woman, Margaret Schwarzkopf, who was staying with her and her husband, had inspired the poem. Margaret Schwarzkopf was concerned about her mother, who was ill in Germany, but she had been warned not to return home because of increasing unrest. When her mother died, the heartbroken young woman told Frye that she never had the chance to "stand by my mother's grave and shed a tear". Frye, according to Van Buren's research, found herself composing a piece of verse on a brown paper shopping bag. Later she said that the words "just came to her" and expressed what she felt about life and death.

The above quote is taken from Wikipedia (link to article)


Over the years, Mary Frye's words have inspired many creations.

Just recently, I came across a melody created by the Japanese composer Man Arai around 2006. This melody is very popular and has since been used by many.


1. Korean Lyrics (with English Subtitle Translation)
The video clip below, is a South Korean translation and interpretation of Frye's poem set to Man Arai's melody. Performed by the South Korean lyric tenor, Im Hyeong-Ju, this version of the song was the memorial song for the 304 people who lost their lives in MV Sewul ferry tragedy in 2014.



DIRECT LINK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efO5JQvbg1I


2. English Lyrics
Here is the same singer -- Im Hyeong-Ju -- singing English lyrics to Man Arai's melody.



DIRECT LINK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gscer1wq4_U


From a lyric-writing perspective, what fascinates me most is comparing the two sets of lyrics and seeing how the two songs are structured. This allows me to ascertain how Frye's words were modified so that they could be massaged into really outstanding musical works in different languages and set against an existing melody.

I hope you find listening and watching these videos as instructive as I did.

Regards,
Noel

MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2026