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

It was reported that Bruce Springsteen recorded I COME AND STAND AT EVERY DOOR with The Seeger Sessions band during one of The Seeger Sessions.

This was originally a composition by Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet Ran titled "Kiz Çocugu", which in English means THE DEAD LITTLE GIRL. 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 his 1999 compilation, Headlines & Footnotes: A Collection Of Topical Songs.

The song has also been recorded by The Byrds on their 1966 album Fifth Dimension, This Mortal Coil on their 1991 album Blood, and many other artists.

In 2005, famed Shima-Uta singer Chitose Hajime collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto by translating THE DEAD LITTLE GIRL into Japanese (retitled "Shinda Onna no Ko"). It was performed live at the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima on the eve of the 60th Anniversary (05 Aug 2005). The song later appeared as a bonus track on Chitose's her 2006 album, Hanadairo.

The above lyrics refer to Jeanette Turner's English translation. Bruce's version has not been revealed yet.