Mary Elizabeth Frye only was revealed to be the author of this very famous poem by 1998. Before the poem was widely used for funeral rites around the world, but never attributed to the woman, who never published another poem. While one can simply analyze the poem by its text, the origin story allows for a deeper and more meaningful analysis. According to a recount of the author, the poem was written for a Jewish woman who had to flee Germany and could therefore not grieve over her mother’s death at her grave. Frye stated that her friend’s pain caused her to write down the poem, whose words spontaneously came to her. It happens rarely that a poet’s work is so widely known, yet only one poem has actually ever been published. The poem was written in 1932 and has since been circulated throughout the world.
The first line also serves as the title of the poem. Analyzing it from the historical perspective, the plea is fitting, as the act of weeping at her mother’s grave was impossible for Frye's friend. The narrator of the story, identified through these lines as a deceased person, directly addresses those left alive. The second line then goes into more detail why the act of weeping at the grave would be meaningless. The narrator clarifies that the dead body is not the same as the person, whose spirit lives on. After this set up, the poem goes on to explain where the spirit is, using beautiful imagery and metaphor.
The first metaphor in line three talks about the blowing of wind. The thousand winds can be seen as a symbol for the ubiquitousness of the spirit. In many regions of the world specific winds have names, given to them for the properties they bring. The Sirocco for example is well known to bring the dry desert air up from the Sahara to Northern Africa, while the Foehn is a warm dry wind that blows off the Alps and is often cause for headaches. With this concept in mind, a thousand winds can be interpreted as a symbol for everywhere on this planet. Additionally, wind is moving air, able to carry a potential spirit to wherever the grieving person is, giving solace through the physical feeling of being touched by the spirit imbued wind.
The second metaphor in line four talks about the glint of sunlight on snow. The description as diamond gives the light some ethereal quality, further enhancing the emotion that is evoked here. The line also juxtaposes the cold of winter/death with the warming gleam of the sun. A similar intention, although replacing the winter with summer, can be seen in line five, where the sunlight dances of ripened grain. This shift from winter to summer, the changing of seasons gives the spatial feeling of the wind a temporal component. The sunlight always shines and no matter which material it bounces off, the spirit always imbues it and can be seen no matter which time of the year. This temporal concept is further enhanced through the fourth metaphor in line six, where autumn is named, shifting the seasonal change further. Additionally, the mention of rain ensures the audience that the spirit is also present when the sun is not being reflected off anything.
The next metaphor is found in lines seven to nine, which again utilizes the element of air to symbolize the pervasiveness of the deceased's spirit. The symbol of the bird that rises in the morning can be read as the soul being lift off. The circled flight utilizes the circle as another symbol of eternity, combining it with the calmness and joy of live within the quiet birds. The temporal aspect of before is enhanced by the concept of daytime, through the mentioning of the morning. This circle is closed in the last metaphor, which talks about the light of stars, which would be shining at night. It is interesting to notice that a similar pattern of air followed by light has been chosen here again.
Finally, the poem reiterates the initial line, reminding the audience that death was not the end and that the deceased did not really die. Conclusively, the poem paints a picture that allows the audience to imagine the presence of their loved ones long after they are gone. The poem describes the circle of the year and the daily rotation of the earth, ensuring the everlasting presence of the spirit. Therefore, it is easy to understand how this poem, in its simplicity could become such a phenomenon for people who are dealing with grief.
