She has a £300 head of woven on Russian hair
She has her head shaven in mourning
Her clothes are designer disposed of when the colour is last seasons
Her clothes are shabby raggy charity shop rejects
She steps out in killer heels feet pampered pedicured and painted
She has heels and soles like elephant hide hardened from a shoeless life
Her house has six air conditioned bedrooms one for each child and three spare
Her six children sleep on the grass covered mud floor
She luxuriates in a bath tub fragranced with jasmine
She walks three miles at dawn to carry home cloudy water
Her family lunch at pizza palace leaving the excess food grabbed in greed
Her children wait twelve hours to share the same maize pap as breakfast
She drives to the shops in a gas guzzling monster
The cost of which would build a clinic and school
She labours in scorched fields ravaged by war and rife with danger
For a dollar day if she’s spared
Just a little piece to mark International Women’s Day.
Lucid Gypsy 
Wow, Gilly! Such powerful comparisons. Most certainly stuff to ponder upon.
Thanks Sylvia, sometimes things just pour out and I can’t stop it.
Well…..why not? Better than keeping it bottled up. 🙂
I want to say wonderful, but…this made me so sad, because of its truth…well said Gilly
Thanks Jo, I think might have been a bit harsh.
Reblogged this on KenMaursCorner and commented:
Yesterday I celebrated International Women’s day having breakfast with members of QUOTA and Ladies Probus. I would have preferred to have seen the cost of that meal go directly to help women in Fiji/Somalia or the Phillipines, rather than waste money and food on overfed Australian women.
Ahh Maureen, thanks for the reblog. I know how you feel, but anything that raises awareness . . .
I’m impressed by the text, Gilly!
greetings from
http://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/womens-day-2/
Thank you Frizztext!
perhaps the wealthy lady in your example contributes a great deal of money to organizations that aid her shoeless counterparts. I don’t think we can judge a person only from what we see externally.
While i understand this celebratory day began as a Socialist exercise, hasn’t it become less political over the years and now celebrates women’s awareness of empowering their sisters living in less than equal societies? I don’t think it’s fair to judge one woman harshly to celebrate another, or make assume having great wealth = selfishness towards people who don’t.
anyway, Gilly, I appreciate this post because it got me thinking.
Absolutely, this imaginary woman could be totally enslaved by a man. I’m sorry if you felt I was being judgemental but pleased that I made you think.
GREAT COMPARISONS!
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Thanks Francine 🙂
Wretching! Made us feel guilty. But then again, for me, last week I handed a homeless a breakfast burrito and a juice can.
You’re a superstar 🙂
The contrasts hurt. They hit me hard in the gut and the pictures won’t go away. Raw.
Sorry Tess, I know that I’ve written this harshly.
Not at all. Most effective because it worked. 😀 😀 😀
Generic comparisons = stark reality. Thanks for making me think.
Thank you!
Hard hitting Gilly, I am witness to these contrasts every day, and i have to confess, it becomes ‘normal’ after a point. Thank you for the reminder.
Sadly, the inequality is stark and that is why we need to continue the fight for change globally. You showed the differences brilliantly.
Your powerful and poignant poem made me pause for much reflection, Gilly.
Intense but it expresses the message clearly.
Perfect ….