Quiet

The first time I heard ‘Quiet’ was when I watched group of women, all wearing pink knitted hats, singing it at the Women’s March in Washington which was held the day after the inauguration of Donald Trump.  The march, echoed throughout many nations of the world, was in reaction to the positions taken by the new administration in the United States – positions which sought to repeal the many gains realized to give women personal autonomy and equality. The next time I heard this song was on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Then, my response to the command and commitment of this group of women who shared their feelings in sharing this song by Milck was even more visceral.

‘Quiet’ was written as a battle cry for women who are tired of having to fight for every gain which they have made – for their right to vote, for their right to full education, for their right to pursue whatever field or endeavour they wish, for their right to own property, for their right not to be abused, for their right to not be judged as deserving of it if they are the victims of any form of abuse, for their right to control their bodies. Milck’s song said so eloquently what so many women have been feeling and saying silently for so long.  Her song told of women’s experiences and of their power – of their unwillingness to just put up, shut up, play nice, wait your turn, wait for permission.  Her song told of women insisting that they will be heard and that they will not be quiet anymore for anyone.

And then I had the gift of being part of a group of singers – both women and men – from several choirs and with the members of Just Voices to sing this song as part of the International Women’s Day event at the National Library on March 8, 2017. At first I worried.  Would we be able to learn it in time? Could we come together?  Could we share the meaning of the lyrics with others?  What if our ‘performance’ was not perfect? As the director of Just Voices, I felt that it was my responsibility for the performance to be perfect.

And from the first rehearsals in my study, I knew that perfection wasn’t important. What was important was our commitment and our intention in choosing to bring this song to the evening.  With each rehearsal, my own sense of our commitment and my knowing that we would, as a group, share the power of the lyrics with those assembled in that auditorium grew.  I knew that what we were choosing to do was not a ‘performance’.  It was a purpose.

Each time that I’ve heard this song and each time that I’ve sung it, I’ve been even more moved and more proud of the authority and intensity that I feel as a woman and as a member of humanity. I know that I am aware and conscious and strong and capable and scary and immensely powerful.  And I know that I will continue to not be quiet for anyone, anymore.

Life is not about performance. It is about conscious choices and being true to ourSelves.

If you haven’t heard this song, you can find it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCnexOFOxCo

“Quiet” by Milck

Put on your face

Know your place

Shut up and smile

Don’t spread your legs

I could do that

But no one knows me

no one ever will

If I don’t say something,

if I just lie still

Would I be that monster,

scare them all away

If I let them hear

what I have to say

I can’t keep quiet, no oh oh oh oh oh oh

I can’t keep quiet, no oh oh oh oh oh oh

A one woman riot, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

I can’t keep quiet

For anyone Anymore

Cuz no one knows me

no one ever will

If I don’t say something,

take that dry blue pill

They may see that monster,

they may run away

But I have to do this,

do it anyway

I can’t keep quiet, no oh oh oh oh oh oh

I can’t keep quiet, no oh oh oh oh oh oh

A one woman riot, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Oh I can’t keep quiet

Let it out Let it out Let it out now

There’ll be someone who understands

Let it out Let it out Let it out now

Must be someone who’ll understand

Let it out Let it out Let it out now

There’ll be someone who understands

Let it out Let it out Let it out now

I can’t keep quiet