For Niki. A Gathering at North Bovey Stepping Stones, 24th November 2010
We all read “Do not stand at my grave and weep” – Mary E Frye 1932
Do not stand at my grave and weep<o:p></o:p>
I am not there. I do not sleep. <o:p></o:p>
I am a thousand winds that blow. <o:p></o:p>
I am the diamond glints on snow. <o:p></o:p>
I am the sunlight on ripened grain. <o:p></o:p>
I am the gentle autumn rain. <o:p></o:p>
When you awaken in the morning’s hush<o:p></o:p>
I am the swift uplifting rush <o:p></o:p>
Of quiet birds in circled flight. <o:p></o:p>
I am the soft stars that shine at night. <o:p></o:p>
Do not stand at my grave and cry;<o:p></o:p>
I am not there. I did not die<o:p></o:p>
Margaret R. read Death Is Nothing At All by Canon Henry Scott-Holland<o:p></o:p>
Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you. Whatever we were to each other, That we are still.<o:p></o:p>
Call me by my old familiar name, Speak to me in the easy way you always used. Put no difference into your tone, Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.<o:p></o:p>
Laugh as we always laughed At the little jokes we always enjoyed together. <o:p></o:p>
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.<o:p></o:p>
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was; Let it be spoken without effort, Without the ghost of a shadow in it.<o:p></o:p>
Life means all that it ever meant; It is the same as it ever was; There is absolute unbroken continuity. What is death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind Because I am out of sight?<o:p></o:p>
I am waiting for you, for an interval, Somewhere very near, Just around the corner. All is well. Nothing is past; nothing is lost.<o:p></o:p>
One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!<o:p></o:p>
Margaret W read from Richard Long: A Dartmoor Walk: Eight Days, England 1987<o:p></o:p>
DEEP BREATHING TO GRIMSPOUND TO BENNETT’S CROSS TO MIDGES TO A NEW BORN CALF<o:p></o:p>
TO GREAT KNEESET TO A LARK ON A BOULDER TO COTTON GRASS TO THINKING TO A FOX SMELL<o:p></o:p>
TO GREAT LINKS TOR TO RIVER FROTH TO DOZING TO SWEATING TO YES TOR<o:p></o:p>
TOO A STONE CIRCLE TO SHELLEY POOL TO WINDLESS DAWN ENERGY TO BLUE FLOWERS<o:p></o:p>
TO A BUZZARD TO HANGINGSTONE HILL TO SOUTH TAVY HEAD TO WEST DART HEAD<o:p></o:p>
TO BEARDOWN MAN TO MUSHROOMS TO CUCKOO TO A STONE ROW TO CUCKOO ROCK<o:p></o:p>
TO A WHITE BONE TO GREAT GNATS HEAD TO ERME HEAD TO A MOUND OF DRYING SOCKS<o:p></o:p>
TO YEALM HEAD TO DEW SOAKED TO A CLAPPER BRIDGE TO FLIES TO BARROWS<o:p></o:p>
TO A DEAD SHEEP TO THE WHOOSH OF A PEREGRINE TO SITTING TO TINNERS STONES TO A RAINSTORM<o:p></o:p>
TO A HERON TO SCATTERED BONES TO MOONLIGHT TO DRYING THE TENT TO TAW HEAD<o:p></o:p>
TO EAST DART TO TEIGN HEAD TO A CLOUD BURST TO THUNDER TO LONG STONE<o:p></o:p>
TO PONIES DRINKING TO HAILSTONES TO LIGHTENING TO GOOD MEMORIES TO A ROTTING SHEEP<o:p></o:p>
TO VIOLET FLOWERS TO AN OAK TREE TO AVON HEAD TO A SMALL STONE TO MISSISSIPPI RIVER BLUES<o:p></o:p>
TO ROLLING THUNDER TO A FLY IN THE EYE TO NAKERS HILL IN A SQUALL TO PLYM HEAD<o:p></o:p>
TO SHEEPS TOR TO BLUEBELLS TO BELLOWING CATTLE TO WHITE BLOSSOM TO FARMYARD<o:p></o:p>
TO A BROWN BULL TO DARTMEE
T TO COFFIN STONE TO CAWING TO HAMELDOWN CAIRN<o:p></o:p>
T TO COFFIN STONE TO CAWING TO HAMELDOWN CAIRN<o:p></o:p>
TO A STRAND OF WOOL TO THE SMALL OF NEW BRACKEN TO MOTIONLESS TO PONE NEEDLES<o:p></o:p>
TO STEPPING STONES TO HUCCABY RING TO LAUGHTER TOR TO GOOD FEELINGS<o:p></o:p>
For more, see http://www.richardlong.org/index.html <o:p></o:p>
Hannah Sang from Ten Thousand Miles – by Mary Chapin Carpenter<o:p></o:p>
Fare you well, my own true love
Farewell for a while
I am going away but I’ll be back
Though I go ten thousand miles
Farewell for a while
I am going away but I’ll be back
Though I go ten thousand miles
Ten thousand miles, my own true love
Ten thousand miles or more
And the rocks may melt and the seas may burn
If I should not return
Oh don’t you see yon lonesome dove
Sitting on yon ivy tree
She is weeping for her own true love
As I shall weep for mine
Oh come ye back, my own true love
And stay a while with me
If I had a friend all on this earth
You have been a friend to me<o:p></o:p>
Fare you well.<o:p></o:p>
The original version can be heard on You Tube – It is from the film ‘Fly Away Home’<o:p></o:p>
Hazels wreath- symbolism of plants for Niki:<o:p></o:p>
Holly represents goodwill, friendship and protects agaist negativity (ie optimism)
Bay is symbolic of energy, athleticism and accomplishment
Rosemary is for remembrance and also intellectualism
The whole was bound with Ivy – a symbol of friendship, eternity and life. <o:p></o:p>
Bay is symbolic of energy, athleticism and accomplishment
Rosemary is for remembrance and also intellectualism
The whole was bound with Ivy – a symbol of friendship, eternity and life. <o:p></o:p>
To the Druids, Ivy was symbolic of the journey of the soul and the spiral forward to the self. It encouraged assistance towards others in their search, so that they in turn might offer assistance.<o:p></o:p>
– see photos<o:p></o:p>
Annkatrin sang<o:p></o:p>
The river is flowing, flowing and growing<o:p></o:p>
The river is flowing down to the sea<o:p></o:p>
Good old earth carry me all the way to the sea <o:p></o:p>
Good old earth carry me down to the sea<o:p></o:p>
The river is flowing flowing and growing<o:p></o:p>
The river is flowing down to the sea<o:p></o:p>
Mother earth carry me all the way to the sea<o:p></o:p>
Mother earth carry me down to the sea.
