Shield of Mothers

[Verse 1]
I see your flyers on the light poles
Names on milk cartons in my feed
You think we’re busy taking selfies
We’re counting every missing seed
Pushchairs
Playgrounds
Parking lots
You circle slow
You think we sleep
But every woman here is watching
Teeth and nails behind the teeth
[Chorus]
We are the shield of mothers
Of sisters
Aunties
Grandmothers (hey!)
You touch one child
You face us all
We are the line you cannot cross
We are the shield of mothers
We’re louder than your cover stories
We locked arms
Now the ground will shake
You will not take
You will not take our babies
[Verse 2]
You hide in loopholes and in hashtags
In uniforms and smiling lies
We’ve learned the routes
We traced the patterns
We look you straight into the eyes
Car seats
School gates
Sunday service
We stand in twos and threes and fours
You think you’re hunting in the shadows
We’re on the porch
We guard the door
[Chorus]
We are the shield of mothers
Of sisters
Aunties
Grandmothers (rise!)
You touch one child
You face us all
We are the line you cannot cross
We are the shield of mothers
Our voices turn to thunder stories
We locked arms
Now the ground will shake
You will not take
You will not take our babies
[Bridge]
Call the women from the kitchens (come)
From the night shift
From the trains
From the classrooms
From the hearings
From the beds remade in pain
Lift your keys up
Make that rattle
Lift your phone lights in the dark
Every mother
Every daughter
Is a match and we’re the spark (oh!)
[Chorus]
We are the shield of mothers
Of sisters
Aunties
Grandmothers
You touch one child
You face us all
We are the line you cannot cross
We are the shield of mothers
Our names will outlast all your money
We locked arms
Now the ground will shake
You will not take
You will not take our babies
[Outro]
You will not take
Not one more name
We are the shield
Remember our names

Fast, urgent pop-rock with female vocals; tight distorted guitars over driving drums, pulsing bass. Verses clipped and percussive, gang vocals answering key lines. Chorus opens wide with big harmonies and stomps; bridge strips to toms and chant, then explodes back in with layered ad-libs and a final anthem finish., female vocals