Reading My Way Around the World

Wednesday 8 March 2017

Bread and Roses

Happy International Women's Day

And a big shout out to all my lovely women friends around the world.  This day of solidarity has had so much significance over the years but is only starting to grow in my awareness
in recent times.  I've been off classes for ages now, so I've made a special effort to start back tonight and have some special songs to sing for the day that is in it.

This is Bread and Roses - It originated from a speech given by Rose Schneiderman; a line in that speech ("The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too.") inspired the title of the poem Bread and Roses by James Oppenheim. 

Isn't that a timely reminder in these days of plenty for many of us and of more equality for more of us, that we need to look after our spirit as well as our bodily needs.

This clip is taken from the film Pride about the Miner's Strikes - a terrible terrible time in England.  Although this song originated in a women's cause, it has become one of the most poignant protest songs anywhere in the world and has been sung in many languages.


Best wishes to you all.





5 comments:

  1. Hi Fil - thanks for this post ... I really appreciated that film ... opened my eyes to so much - we certainly need to remember what we have, and how lucky we have been to have been born into a reasonable society ... just wish we can get the butterfly effect moving across the globe ...

    I didn't know the origins of the song - so thanks for letting us know how it came about ...

    Cheers and have a good weekend - Hilary

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  2. Wow, dear Fil... it is so poignant, so beautiful... the song, the poem Bread and Roses, that I didn't know about... yes, it's so good to share, to be generous, to treat our spirits and our bodies as well... since this is the one body we have, to operate with - grab things, read things, etc... and we cannot forget that. But our spirits also deserve a lot of attention. I hoped that the 21st century brought more equality to everybody... but instead, it seems we are going back to crusade times :( Very beautiful post, dear Fil, always with great things to learn! Hope you have a very beautiful weekend!
    DenisesPlanet.com

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  3. Never heard that song before, what a lovely clip, thanks. Bit late, but I am shouting back.

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  4. Great post! A lot of thanks!

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  5. What a powerful song, one that I had never heard before. Thanks for sharing.

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