I COME AND STAND AT EVERY DOOR

I come and stand at every door
But no one hears my silent tread
I knock and yet remain unseen
For I am dead, for I am dead

I'm only seven although I died
In Hiroshima long ago
I'm seven now as I was then
When children die they do not grow

My hair was scorched by swirling flame
My eyes grew dim, my eyes grew blind
Death came and turned my bones to dust
And that was scattered by the wind

I need no fruit, I need no rice
I need no sweet, nor even bread
I ask for nothing for myself
For I am dead, for I am dead

All that I ask is that for peace
You fight today, you fight today
So that the children of this world
May live and grow and laugh and play

Bruce Springsteen reportedly recorded I COME AND STAND AT EVERY DOOR with The Seeger Sessions band during one of The Seeger Sessions.

This was originally a poen by Turkish poet Nâzım Hikmet Ran titled "Kız Çocuğu", which in English translates to "The Girl Child". Jeanette Turner did a loose English translation of the poem under a different title, "I Come And Stand At Every Door". This English translation was put to music by James Waters and adopted by Pete Seeger in 1962. It can now be found on Seeger's 1999 compilation, Headlines & Footnotes: A Collection Of Topical Songs.

The above lyrics are for Jeanette Turner's English adaptation of I COME AND STAND AT EVERY DOOR. Springsteen's version has not been revealed.

Available Versions

List of available versions of I COME AND STAND AT EVERY DOOR on this website: