Africa Speaks Reasoning Forum

There is a peculiar fruit
Hanging from yonder tree
From north to south, west to east
There is a peculiar fruit
Hanging from yonder tree
The forbidden fruit
With a noose around its stem
An early bird pecking worms from its chest
That peculiar fruit symbolizing death

Oh ye nations of vipers
I call upon Set
To create the balance
I need to wipe
Away the juices of
This peculiar fruit on yonder tree
Hanging dismal in quiet dignity
Surrendering to Ma'at
On principles of my ancient heritage and integrity

A woman and her boy
Dangling over a river awaiting salvation
From the rabid flock
A nation of vipers gloating over
This peculiar fruit, this peculiar stock
Hanging from yonder tree
A broken bough of humanity

Come taste the sweet succulent, forbidden fruit
Come taste the dark skinned berry
With the sweetest juice
Come taste the innocence of
The blood, sweat and tears
That runs from that peculiar fruit
Hanging from yonder tree without any roots

Traumatized by vile interpretations
Of justice and Black illegitimacy
Condemned by judgements of white supremacy
Dragged from the radix of
Our youth to the matured branches of hell
Strung up to the cacophony of a death knell
Come ye nations of vipers
Remove this peculiar fruit
Hanging from yonder tree
That ye have cultivated in
Our garden of misery and your history
Remove this pain from my fertile memory
Remove this dreadful and fruitless stain
From my people's obituary

Iya'shanti

Bless, Love!

this reminds me of a poem i once read....

Southern trees bear strange fruit
Blood on the leaves
Blood at the root
Black bodies 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
The scent of magnolia sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
for the rain to gather
for the wind to suck
for the sun to rot
for the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop

powerful words...

Greetings Yan,

Strange Fruit was written by a Jewish teacher from NY. His name, I cannot remember but his poem was put to song by Billie Holliday. When I wrote this poem I had never really seen the words of Strange Fruit before. I was actually inspired to write it after I viewed some 81 images of lynching on a site called Without Sanctuary. Hence the reason why I have in parentheses in the title. Blessed Love.

Greetings again Yan,

This is Iyabinghi posting and I was the same person that posted the previous rsponse, however I am at my sistren Rootswoman's house using her computer and didn't realize that the posting would appear as her own. This post will also appear as if it was posted by Roots but it is in fact Iyabinghi the author of the above poem. Hope that clears the air. Blessed Love.

Iyabinghi