Women in the World

So I wrote this song after being inspired by the book "Half the Sky".  Originally it had these sort of verse/choruses and in-between them we (The Pacha Mamas) would each do a monologue- taken from the stories of real women from the book and their journey of empowerment coming from very oppressive situations.  In an effort to arrange the piece so that not only we could do a powerful recording of it, but also so that it would fit into our "Touch of Goddesspell" concert, we took the monologues out and replaced them with poetic, rhythmic spoken word pieces with the same themes.  We (The Pacha Mamas - including Anahata Iradah- in other words the ensemble for "A Touch of Goddesspell") performed this piece for the first time at The Revolution of Love concert in February.  Even though it wasn't perfect - it was strong and we got lots of great feedback about it.  We will be recording this song at the end of this month and subsequently creating what we hope is a very powerful, moving music video to go along with it.  So keep posted!!! And here is the spoken word verse that I created/performed, just to give you a little taste/preview;-)

Her words of wisdom

Her acts of courage

Her poetry have all 

touched me deeply

And set my soul free

And The Caged Bird Sings

Everyone:

And The Caged Bird Sings!

And I think about the fact

That Maya grew up black

In a segregated south

Other side of the tracks 

Scorned. . . 

For the color of her skin

And the Caged Bird Sings

Everyone:

And The Caged Bird Sings!

And at the age of seven

Raped. . .

By kin of kin

When she spoke his name

Death came to him

And she took the blame

Didn’t speak again

For  (everyone) 5 Years!

5 Years of listening

5 Years of reading every book in sight

Shakespeare became  

Her first love of white

And finally

it was the poetry  

That set her voice free

And the Caged Bird Sings

Everyone

(And) The Caged Bird sings

Creating beauty from pain

A woman she became

Whose words found Their power 

from within

And touched the souls 

Of thousands 

and thousands

And the Caged Bird. . . . ..   is. .. .. (sing) FREE!