R.I.P. Pete Seeger  (1919-2014). These are the lyrics to a song Pete wrote in 1958 for a friend’s funeral, courtesy of his musical compatriot Paul Winter.

Pete Seeger (1919-2014). Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

To My Old Brown Earth

To my old brown earth
And to my old blue sky
I’ll now give these last few molecules
of “I”

And you who sing
And you who stand nearby
I do charge you not to cry

Guard well our human chain
Watch well you keep it strong
As long as sun will shine

And this our home
Keep pure and sweet and green
For now I’m yours
And you are also
Mine

— Words and music by Pete Seeger, 1958