Fire in my mouth
I. Immigration
adapted from an interview with Mollie Wexler, oral history:
Without passports or anything we took a boat
a big beautiful boat
and off we went
five of us girls.
It took about ten days
we went third class
with the poverty stricken
and off we went
five of us girls.
But it was lively
everyone talking
and looking
to God knows what kind of future it was going to be.
II. Factory
adapted from a Yiddish folk song:
Mit a nodl, on a nodl Ney ikh mir b’kovid godl Zitsn zits ikh mir
A fis oyf a fis
Vayl mayn arbet
iz tsiker zis
With a needle, without a needle I do my sewing with great dignity I sit on my work-table
With my legs crossed under me Because my work
Is sugar sweet
adapted from an Italian Pizzica folk song:
e com’ aggiu fare ca vulia te vasu pigliate ’na paletta e va allu focu
e ca’ pe la mamma dice ca hai ’tardatu dinne ca’ e’ stata ‘na spitta te focu
e spitta te focu, nun e’ stata mai qualche figiu te mamma me l’ha vasata
[Girl:] What can I do to give you a kiss?
[Boy:] Tell your mother that you have to fetch some fire and if she says that you are late
tell her a spark of fire burned you
[Mother:] It never was a spark of fire
Someone kissed her
III. Protest
Women’s Choir
I want to talk like an American
I want to look like an American
I want to sing like an American
I want to walk like an American
I want to dream like an American Scheme like an American
I want to stand like an American
I want to smile like an American
I want to pray like an American Play ball like an American
Cook like an American
I want to laugh like an American
I want to dance like an American Have a chance like an American
I want to feel like an American
I want to shout like an American
I want to scream like an American I want to cry like an American
I want to try like an American
Hurt like an American
Bleed like an American
Burn like, burn like, burn like, burn
Girls’ Choir
excerpt from a speech by Clara Lemlich, November 22, 1909:
I want to say a few words.
I am a working girl.
One of those striking against intolerable conditions.
adapted from The Jobless Girls, written by Theresa Malkiel, in the New York Call, December 29, 1909:
We laid down our scissors
shook the threads off our clothes
and calmly left the place that stood between us and starvation.
Women’s Choir
hem stitcher, sleeve setter, cuff maker, lace runner, ironer, yoke setter, plain stitcher, belt maker, finisher, sample hand, back maker, dampener, stamper, starcher, sample maker, steamer, front maker, rag sorter, labeler, baster, binder, cleaner, closer, cutter, draper, hemmer, joiner, mender, buttonhole maker, buttonhole marker, buttonhole stitcher, buttonhole sewer, presser, plaiter, trimmer, tucker, facer, sorter
Girls’ Choir
I WANT TO FEEL LIKE AN AMERICAN
Women’s Choir
from an interview with Clara Lemlich:
Ah — then I had fire in my mouth
Girls’ Choir
fire fire fire fire fire fire fire fire fire fire fire fire
IV. Fire
Women’s Choir
I heard someone cry fire Everyone said fire
adapted from the testimony of Kate Alterman, ninth floor worker, at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire trial:
And then I saw her bending down on her knees. Her hair was loose.
And the trail of her dress was a little far from her. Then a big smoke came.
I noticed the trail of her dress, and the ends of her hair, began to burn like, burn like, burn like, burn like, burn like, burn
adapted from the eyewitness account of William Shepherd, reporter for the M ilwaukee Journal, March 27, 1911:
Those of us who were looking,
saw her put her arms about him
and kiss him.
And then he dropped her into space. Then quick as a flash, he jumped.
All Voices
I see them falling
see them falling
Women’s Choir
excerpt from a speech by Rose Schneiderman at The Metropolitan Opera House, April 2, 1911:
I would be a traitor
to those poor burned bodies
if I were to speak
of good fellowship.
I have tried you good people of the public, and I have found you wanting.
