Classic and Contemporary Poetry
BREAD AND ROSES, by JAMES OPPENHEIM Poet's Biography First Line: As we come marching, marching, in the Last Line: But a sharing of life's glories: bread and roses, bread and roses! Subject(s): Justice; Labor Unions; Social Protest; Strikes; Labor Disputes; Lockouts | ||||||||
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 song of Bread; Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew Yet, it is bread we fight forbut 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 idlerten that toil where one reposes But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THEN AND NOW by CECIL DAY LEWIS HIKING ON THE COAST RANGE by KENNETH REXROTH VIGNETTES OVERSEAS: 10. STRESA by SARA TEASDALE THE HIDING PLACE by JORIE GRAHAM LAURENCE BLOOMFIELD IN IRELAND: 8. THE EVICTION by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM THE STRIKE OF THE SMITHS by FRANCOIS COPPEE MUNDUS MOROSUS (THE WORLD MOROSE) by FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER |
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