Strange Fruit

Southern trees bear Strange Fruits
Blood on the leaves, blood at the roots
Black (belly's) body's swinging in the southern reek
Strange fruit hanging from the popular tree.

Past star will sing from the gallon south
Bulging eyes and a twisted mouth
Send up magnolia, sweet and fresh
And the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is the fruit for the crows to pluck
For (but) the rain to gather for the wind to suck
For the sun to rot for the tree to drop
Here is the strange and bitter crop.