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Life IS history in the making. Every word we say, everything we do becomes history the moment it is said or done. Life void of memories leaves nothing but emptiness. For those who might consider history boring, think again: It is who we are, what we do and why we are here. We are certainly individuals in our thoughts and deeds but we all germinated from seeds planted long, long ago.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Happy International Women's Day

A tribute to women and the power of a single individual to change the world. Each of us has something we can contributeto others and ourselves.


"The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights."  
Gloria Steinem

International Women's Day has been observed since the early 1900s. This recognition occurred during a period of unrest and turbulence amongst women. The fight for equality and emancipation has been a long and arduous journey. While many positive achievements fill the history books, women are still plagued with a number of negatives: women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.
  
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Embrace the Past... 

Utopia?

Early Modern Period—Seventeenth Century (1600–1699)

The role of the woman was strict obedience to her husband—bound to serve, love, and obey with work revolving very much around the home. Time away from the home was limited to church.

A bird locked in a cage

Has no room to fly

All sense of adventure

Tucked away to die


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Swinging back and forth

No expanse of its wings

What message is relayed

When this little bird sings?


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Plenty of water

Seeds always abound

No worries, no frets

Feet never touch ground


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I’m like this little bird

Back and forth within my house

Mending, cooking, cleaning

With credence quiet as a mouse


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Travels abroad

Are not mine to explore

Changes in fortune

Do not knock at my door


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Excluded from higher education

Puts me in the back of the crowd

Shut out of power or authority

No civil employment allowed


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My utopia: a cage

So, who do I pronounce to be?

Woman without liberty

Secretly plotting to be free

:
©2012 Awakenings
  Sharla Lee Shults

3 comments:

  1. Happy International Women's Day to you too! Thinking of all the awesome women around the world today

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  2. Another insightful and thought-provoking poem today. Thank you for sharing it. As always, I enjoyed your post.

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  3. What a great blog post! Thanks so much for posting this and for taking the time to honor all women on this International Women's Day. Did you write the poem? It's really wonderful.

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