Strange Fruit

Southern trees bear strange fruit,

Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,

Black body swinging in the Southern breeze,

Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant South,

The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,

Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh,

Then the sudden smell of burning flesh!

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,

For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,

For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,

Here is a strange and bitter crop.

by Abel Meeropol (Lewis Allan)

Inspireeritud mustanahaliste karmist kohtlemisest ja omakohtust USA-s. Arvatavasti sai autor ajendi sellest, kui ta nägi Lawrence Butleri tehtud fotot situatsioonist, kus valged ameeriklased olid omakohtuga kaks mustanahalist meest tapnud ja puu otsa riputanud. 1936 Avaldas ta luuletus The New York Teachers-is, hiljem seadis teosele saateks ka muusika. Laulu laulis kuulsaks Billy Holiday.

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