Saturday 25 November 2006

BREAD AND ROSES

As we come marching, marching in the beauty of the day
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill-lofts grey
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses
For the people hear us singing:

Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses.

As we come marching, marching, we battle too for men
For they are women’s’ children and we mother them again
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes
Hearts starve as well as bodies.

Give us bread but give us roses

As we come marching, marching – unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient cry for bread.
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew.
Yes it’s bread we fight for

But we fight for roses too.

As we come marching, marching, we bring the greater days
The rising of the women means the rising of the race
No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life’s glories:

Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses.

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