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Tuesday, September 09, 2003

The Magdalene Laundries and Joni Mitchell 

I had been aware of a Joni Mitchell song called "The Magdalene Laundries" but I had never made the connection with the movie, until I was researching something to post onto the blog. Apparently, Joni Mitchell was herself "interned" in one of the Magdalene Laundries for having committed the "sin" of having a daughter out of wedlock. She was reunited with her own daughter Kilauren, in 1997. The song is hauntingly beautiful, and especially so after having watched the movie and gained some context.

These bloodless brides of Jesus,
If they had just once glimpsed their groom,
Then they'd know, and they'd drop the stones
Concealed behind their rosaries.


You can read more about the Magdalene Laundries here.