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Bread and Roses, | Poem

 
       BREAD AND ROSES
 

As we go marching marching on the beauty of the day

A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill-lofts gray

Are touched by all the radiance that a rising sun discloses

For the people hear us singing, bread and roses, bread and roses

As we go 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 our birth until life closes

Hearts starve as well as bodies, give us bread but give us roses
 

As we go marching, marching unnumbered women dead

Are calling through our singing their ancient cry for bread

Small art or joy or beauty their drudging spirits knew

Ah yes tis bread we fight for but we fight for roses too
 

As we go marching, marching we bring the greater days

For the rising of the women means the rising of the race

No more the drudge or idler, ten that toil while one reposes

But a sharing of life's glories - bread and roses! Bread and roses!

words: James Oppenheimer     music: Caroline Kohsleet


 
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