It's My Way - Buffy Saint Marie

Buffy Saint Marie and her song It's My Way epitomizes for me what it means to be the Wild Woman, the Woman Who Runs with the Wolves, Wolf Woman, The Empress, Persephone, and all those who have taken, are taking ,and will be taking The Heroine's Journey.

On this International Women's Day and always  everyday I honour and thank all those beautiful strong women whose shoulders I stand on, the ones who have lived then, now and to come.


It’s My Way
© Buffy Sainte-Marie
(I’m cutting my) own way
through my own day
and all I dare say is
It’s my own
(Got my) own seeds
Got my own weeds
I’ve got my own harvest
that I’ve sown
I can tell you
things I’ve done
and I can sing you
songs I’ve sung
But there’s one thing
I can’t give
for I and I alone can live
The years I’ve known,
the life I’ve grown.
Got a way I’m going,
and it’s my Way.
I’ve got my own stakes
in my own game
I’ve got my own name
and it’s my Way
I’ve got my own wrong
I’ve got my own right
I’ve got my own fight
and it’s my Way
I’ve got my own peace
I’ve got my own wrath
I’ve got my own path that only I can go
I’ve got my own sword in my own hand
I’ve got my own plan that only I can know
Don’t be crying Don’t be sighing
Your day will come; your day alone
Years you’ll know and a life you’ll grow
You got a way to go and it’s all on your own
I’ve got my own World
I’ve got my own Life
I’ve got my own Strife
and it’s my Way
I’ve got my own Kith
I’ve got my own Kin
I’ve got my own Sin
and it’s my Way
I’ve got my own Prayers
I’ve got my own Fears
I’ve got my own Tears
and it’s my Way
I’ve got my own Joy
I’ve got my own Load
I’ve got my own Road
and it’s my Way
Put down the story of what I’ve known
Your bound for glory all of your own Put down the story of what I say
You’re bound for glory
all on your own one day

International Women's Day - Bread and Roses

I have always greatly admired Annie Lennox as an incredible artist/singer/song writer.. Over the years, I have come to greatly respect her as a committed activist, especially n her involvement with HIV, violence against women and poverty.

We all can't be Annie Lennox. But today on International Women's Day I think and reflect on all of the women, artists or not, whom I know, have known or don't know, or will come to know. Each has made and will make affective and effective change. I admire them all so much. We are all in this together as human beings, male and female.
Happy International Women's Day, to all of my sisters, all over the world living and beyond this mortal coil.

As we come marching, marching in the beauty of the day,

A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray,

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 is 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!

 

                                                                     -   James Oppenheim