Thursday, November 20, 2008

Old Fat Naked Women for Peace (The Righteous Mothers)


I've been sent this video 3 or 4 times over the last two weeks - is that a peace sign in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?... :-)

I'm loving it! - this song is the lovechild of The Roches' harmonies and Christine Lavin's humor (backstory here)...

SONG: Old Fat Naked Women for Peace by The Righteous Mothers

BOOK:
Awearness: Inspiring Stories about How to Make a Difference by Kenneth Cole

The Low Road by Marge Piercy

What can they do
to you? Whatever they want.
They can set you up, they can
bust you, they can breakyour fingers, they can
burn your brain with electricity,
blur you with drugs till you
can't walk, can't remember, they can
take your child, wall up
your lover. They can do anything
you can't stop them
from doing. How can you stop
them? Alone, you can fight,
you can refuse, you can
take what revenge you can
but they roll over you.

But two people fighting
back to back can cut through
a mob, a snake-dancing file
can break a cordon, an army
can meet an army.

Two people can keep each other
sane, can give support, conviction,
love, massage, hope, sex.
Three people are a delegation,
a committee, a wedge. With four
you can play bridge and start
an organization. With six
you can rent a whole house,
eat pie for dinner with no
seconds, and hold a fund raising party.
A dozen make a demonstration.
A hundred fill a hall.
A thousand have solidarity and your own newsletter;
ten thousand, power and your own paper;
a hundred thousand, your own media;
ten million, your own country.

It goes on one at a time,
it starts when you care
to act, it starts when you do
it again and they said no,
it starts when you say We
and know you who you mean, and each
day you mean one more.

QUOTE: "Seek patience and passion in equal amounts. Patience alone will not build the temple. Passion alone will destroy its walls." ~ Maya Angelou

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful poem! Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are so very welcome! - I adore all things Marge Piercy. Are you familiar with The Seven of Pentacles? - amazing...

    http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/Marge-Piercy/8148

    ReplyDelete