To all of the mothers whose children are fighting in wars – and to mothers whose children are growing up with wars raging around them or with terrorism threatening their safety… Wishes of strength, peace and hope for this Mother’s Day…
Arise then…women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
“We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies, Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, For caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We, the women of one country, Will be too tender of those of another country To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”
From the bosom of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with Our own. It says: “Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.”
Blood does not wipe our dishonor, Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war, Let women now leave all that may be left of...