Dwina Gibb, the widow of late Bee Gees star Robin Gibb, read a heartfelt poem she had written for her husband at his funeral service yesterday.
In the poem, Dwina Gibb told how “no treasure in the lands will replace his happy smile”.
Dwina Gibb, the widow of late Bee Gees star Robin Gibb, read a heartfelt poem she had written for her husband at his funeral service
Here is the poem, called My Songbird Has Flown:
“My songbird has flown and the world sighs.
“The gentle mouthpiece of his immortal muse has gone
“And no music can be heard that is sweeter than the language of his love,
“No diamond is more precious than the memory of the twinkling in his eyes,
“And no treasure in the lands will replace his happy smile.
“My songbird has flown and the world sighs.
“And if I were to paint a third of what I feel,
“A masterpiece would be yours
“To have and to hold and hang upon you wall.
“If I were to write the words that spill from my heart, tomes and volumes would make your library wide and tall.
“If I were to sing songs of praise for him, Saints would rise to make a chorus fit to please angel heralds.
“And if I were to make music for his gentle ear, celestial harmonies would dance in all the worlds.
“And so no more, his voice now stilled but never gone.
“A depth of silence reigns where once he had his say.
“The veil of night has fallen
“But a dawn of the divine will rise for a new day.
“My songbird has flown and my soul sighs – but he will never go away.”
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Dwina Gibb was adamant the mother of Robin Gibb’s love child did not attend his funeral today and Claire Yang respectfully granted her wish.
Claire Yang, a former housekeeper of robin Gibb, with whom he fathered Snow Robin three years ago, instead spent the day with the tot and a close friend.
While Robin Gibb’s casket was being brought through the streets of his hometown of Thame, Oxfordshire, the trio were out and about, returning home at around 3:00 p.m., as the rest of the star’s grieving family were attending the private service at St Mary’s church.
The group got out of the silver 4×4, with Claire Yang’s friend walking around the back of the car to get the little girl out.
They then rushed into the former housekeeper’s large house.
Claire Yang refused to speak about her decision not to attend the funeral.
Dwina Gibb was adamant the mother of Robin Gibb’s love child did not attend his funeral today and Claire Yang respectfully granted her wish
When reporters pressed the entry phone system and asked to talk to her, a woman with an oriental accent said she would not speak.
“She’s not available,” said the woman.
“She’s not at home, goodbye.”
According to reports, Dwina Gibb told friends that she would absolutely hate Claire Yang to attend, but wouldn’t turn her away if she did, although no doubt she will have been relieved it didn’t come to that.
A close friend told the Daily Mirror: “Dwina has said that she would loathe her to be there but there won’t be any scene whatsoever if she came along to pay her respects.”
Robin Gibb, 62, who died from liver and colon cancer on May 20, had a long-term affair with Claire Yang but was asked to leave the house by bisexual Dwina, 59, when she became pregnant.
Despite having an open relationship it is thought Dwina Gibb “hit the roof” when she discovered Claire Yang was pregnant.
It was revealed last week that Robin Gibb had paid out £4 million ($6.5 million) to Claire Yang and their three-year-old daughter Snow Robin.
A source told the Sunday Mirror: “If Claire does go to the funeral she will be -keeping her distance from Dwina and it will be awkward.
“Robin never walked away from his responsibilities and always made sure the child was fully provided for.”
Robin Gibb’s fans got the chance to pay their respects to the singer when his horse-drawn glass carriage was taken through his home town of Thame, Oxon.
The carriage left from his home before heading along the town’s high street and then making its way to the church.
At the service Dwina Gibb read a poem that she wrote especially for today and a song written by Robin Gibb was also debuted.
Don’t Cry Alone is thought to be his final composition taken from his Titanic Requiem.
The touching song features the opening lines: “If your heart is breaking, I’m yours whatever, I will not forsake you ever, don’t cry alone.”
Barry Gibb yesterday revealed the solace he finds in knowing that his siblings, twins Robin and Maurice, have now been reunited – and that he will join them both one day too.
“They were both beautiful. And now they’re together,” said Barry Gibb, his voice trembling with emotion, as he addressed the congregation at Robin’s funeral.
Barry Gibb, 65, the only remaining member of the group he formed with his younger siblings in 1958 which went on to sell more than 200 million records worldwide, told mourners: “When you’re twins, you’re twins all your life. You go through every emotion.”
Robin Gibb died last month aged 62 after a long battle with colon cancer.
Maurice Gibb died of complications resulting from a twisted intestine in 2003 aged 53.
At yesterday’s service at St Mary’s Church in Thame, Oxfordshire, Barry Gibb spoke of Robin’s “magnificent mind and beautiful heart”.
Barry Gibb also read a poem he had written called Ode To Rob, which included the lines: “We will all be together one day. So fly away Rob, fly away.”
Among the 300-strong congregation were celebrities including Sir Tim Rice, Uri Geller, DJs Mike Read, Paul Gambaccini and David “Kid” Jensen, singer Peter Andre, actress Susan George and 88-year-old actor Leslie Phillips.
Robin Gibb’s widow Dwina, 59, an author and artist, read a poem called My Songbird Has Flown, including the words: “No music can be heard that is sweeter than the language of his love, no diamond is more precious than the memory of his twinkling eyes.”
Dwina and Robin Gibb’s son Robin-John, 28, kissed his father’s white coffin after telling mourners his “best friend and daddy” is “always only a song away”.
Absent from the service, however, was Claire Yang, the former housekeeper with whom Robin Gibb fathered a daughter, Snow, aged four.
Claire Yang was reportedly “unwelcome” and spent the day a few miles away at her home in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
A source said that security guards had been briefed “to keep an eye out for her”.
However, Snow was mentioned by Barry Gibb at the end of his eulogy as “little Snow” in a list of close family members.
At yesterday’s service at St Mary’s Church in Thame, Oxfordshire, Barry Gibb spoke of Robin’s “magnificent mind and beautiful heart”
Barry Gibb also referred to the fourth Gibb brother, Andy, also a singer, who died aged 30 in 1988, saying that to have lost three siblings was “a very strange experience”.
And referring to the Bee Gees’ days of packing out arenas to adoring audiences across the globe, Barry Gibb said: “The three of us have seen a lot of crowds but I’ve never seen so much love in one crowd as I’m looking at today.”
The coffin was taken to the church in a glass-sided, horse-drawn carriage topped with red roses.
The coffin itself was draped with the flag of the Isle of Man, where all three Bee Gees were born.
Robin and Dwina Gibb’s home, a converted 13th century monastery, is opposite the church but the carriage travelled along the market town’s high street first as it was among Robin’s last wishes that he could “say a final goodbye to fans and his home town”.
The cortege was followed by Robin Gibb’s two Irish wolfhounds, Ollie and Missy.
The coffin entered the church to the sound of the Bee Gees’ hit How Deep Is Your Love.
Barry Gibb also spoke of his brother’s sense of humor: “There was no funnier man than Spike Milligan – apart from Robin.
“And his sharp, intuitive wit will live with us forever.
“You could stand Robin next to Spike Milligan and it would be a competition.”
He hinted at recent tensions between himself and Robin, however, saying: “We were laughing all the way. Sometimes crying. God knows how much we argued.
“Even right up to the end we found conflict with each other, which now means nothing. It just means nothing. If there’s conflict in your lives – get rid of it.”
Robin Gibb’s elderly mother, Barbara, left the church just before Barry gave his eulogy.
He told the congregation: “This is a very strange experience, having already lost two brothers and now Rob.
“I think there are an awful lot of things happening right now that maybe you won’t be aware of. And one is how many people came on such a terrible day. It is staggering.
“So many people loved this boy, so many illustrious people are here that loved him. And that is such a pleasure to witness.
“The three of us have seen a lot of crowds but I’ve never seen so much love in one crowd as I’m looking at today – for Rob, you know, for the music. And it’s an intense experience for me.
“I think it’s an experience none of us will forget. We will keep him in our hearts and minds forever.”
Robin Gibb’s family and friends were joined by hundreds of fans, who lined the streets as a glass horse-drawn carriage covered in red roses made its way down the town’s high street on the way to the funeral.
Family members including Robin Gibb’s wife Dwina, his children Spencer, Melissa and RJ, Barry, his wife Linda and his son Stevie, were pictured leading the procession on foot from the gate house of their estate to St Mary’s Church.
It had been Robin Gibb’s wish to “say a final goodbye to fans and his home town of Thame”, according to his family.
Robin Gibb died from kidney failure last month after fighting colon cancer and pneumonia.
Peter Andre, who was a close friend of the musician, was front and centre to place a rose on the coffin at the burial.
He announced last week that he plans to release a tribute single using music written for him by Robin Gibb shortly before his death.
“He very kindly wrote a song for me recently and I’m determined to finish working on it when I get back to the UK,” he said.
“I’m going to release it and make sure all the proceeds go to his favorite charity.”
St Mary’s church is opposite the home which the musician had shared with wife Dwina for 19 years.
Two candles flickered at the front of the church as some guests entered in tears, to take their places on wooden seats surrounded by pink and white flowers.
They were issued with an order of service printed with a black and white picture of Robin Gibb on the front cover, and images of red roses throughout.
An image of the three members of the Bee Gees – Robin, Maurice and Barry – was on the back.
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Robin Gibb’s funeral will take place next week, on June 8, it emerged today.
Only “close family and friends” will attend the event, but a memorial service is being arranged for later in the year.
There has been speculation that this will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
The Bee Gees star, who racked up decades of hits, died 10 days ago after a lengthy battle with colon cancer at the age of 62.
Robin Gibb’s funeral will take place next week, on June 8
After having surgery for an intestinal problem Robin Gibb contracted pneumonia.
At one point he spent a short period in a coma, although he regained consciousness several days before his death.
Robin Gibb’ son RJ has since said that kidney failure was the cause of death.
In a statement the family requested that there should be no flowers but called instead for donations to two children’s charities on the Isle of Man, “both of which were close to the heart of Robin Gibb and his family”.
They asked for the money to go to Rebecca House hospice and Wish Upon A Dream.
Robin Gibb’s family said further details about the memorial will be announced “in due course”.
Although details of the funeral’s location have not been announced, it has previously been reported that it will take place near to where he lived in Thame, Oxfordshire, with a service including music by the Bee Gees and Roy Orbison.
Robin Gibb’s death led to tributes from across the music world, as well as from figures such as former prime minister Tony Blair, who was a friend of the star.
