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 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 Star That Shines At Night
Do Not Stand At My Grave And Cry
I Am Not There; I Did Not Die.

FOR CATHY

I LOOK THROUGH A WINDOW AND WHAT DO I SEE?
A WOMAN WHO TRULY REMINDS ME OF ME.

I SEE A SOUL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS EACH DAY,
AND KNOW THAT I’M SEEKING IN MUCH THE SAME WAY.

I SEE SOMEONE LOVING, UNSELFISH AND KIND,
SOMEONE WITH A BIG HEART AND A QUICK-WITTED MIND,

A WOMAN WHO SITS BACK AND TAKES EVERYTHING IN,
BUT WHO IS ANXIOUS AS WELL TO HELP AND PITCH IN.

STILL SHE WAITS FOR SOME INVITATION OR SIGN
TO SIGNAL HER EFFORTS ARE NOT OUT OF LINE.

AND THOUGH WE’RE ALIKE, THERE ARE DIFFERENCES, TOO
BUT THEY AREN’T REALLY APPARENT IN WHAT WE FEEL AND DO.

THEY ARE MORE IN THE WAY WE LOOK AND HOW WE SEE
OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER IN THIS WORLD’S REALITY.

IN HER I SEE BEAUTY, A FAIR DAINTY SPRITE,
FULL OF SUCH KINDNESS, PURITY OF SPIRIT, AND TRUE LIGHT.

BUT DOES SHE SEE THOSE QUALITIES IN THE MIRROR EVERY DAY?
OR DOES SHE QUESTION HER VALUE AND FEEL SHE’S IN THE WAY?

I DON’T WANT HER TO FEEL UNIMPORTANT OR THINK SHE’S GETTING OLD
I NEED HER TO KNOW SHE IS MY FRIEND, AND WORTH HER WEIGHT IN GOLD.

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR, I SEE ALL FAT AND NO STYLE
WHAT SHE SEES IN ME IS SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE HER SMILE.

SHE IS NEVER TOO CRITICAL, ALWAYS GIVES MY SPIRIT A LIFT.
HER ENCOURAGING WORDS HAVE BEEN ONE OF THIS LIFE’S GREATEST GIFTS.

SHE LIKES TO TELL ME THAT I MAKE HER LAUGH, TOO
QUITE HONESTLY THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LOVE TO DO.

FOR YOU SEE, WHEN SHE SMILES-THIS GLORIOUS FRIEND-
IT’S LIKE SEEING THE POT OF GOLD AT THE RAINBOW’S END.

BUT SOMETIMES WE BOTH FEEL LONELY, OR WORSE…
TRAPPED IN A WORLD WHERE MONEY AND POSSESSIONS ALWAYS COME FIRST.

BUT DEEP INSIDE WE KNOW TRUE WEALTH CAN ONLY BE FOUND
IN A HEART WHERE LOVE, JOY, AND PEACE CAN ABOUND.

IT IS HARD TO ADMIT THE ONE REAL TRUTH OF LIFE:
THERE IS NO LIGHT WITHOUT DARKNESS AND NO HOPE WITHOUT STRIFE.

IT IS EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN LIFE’S DARKER SIDE…
TO GIVE UP THE STRUGGLE AND GET WASHED OUT WITH THE TIDE.

BUT I THANK GOD FOR THAT WINDOW, THAT RARE BOND BETWEEN FRIENDS
THAT LETS ME DRAW STRENGTH FROM HER WHEN I’M AT MY WIT’S END.

SO I SIT AT THAT WINDOW WHEN I’M SAD AND I’M BLUE,
AND I SIT THERE EACH TIME I FEEL HAPPINESS, TOO

I JUST OPEN THE SHUTTERS WIDE AND I’M NEVER ALONE
FOR YOU SEE THIS SPECIAL WINDOW ISN’T PART OF MY HOME.

NO MEASURE OF MILES OR DISTANCE CAN KEEP US APART,
FOR THAT WOMAN HOLDS A PLACE IN THE WINDOW OF MY HEART.
Angel (Barnett) Lloyd (Timblin, PA)