Reading My Way Around the World

Showing posts with label Bread and Roses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bread and Roses. Show all posts

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.