Strange Fruit
cue hate
cue trumpet lick
cue Shipp and Smith
cue piano pound
cue photograph
cue trembling mouth
cue protest poem
cue guttural voice
cue muse moving in music dripping blood-stained past raging in the now of what will always matter
cue reaching for ghosts in the wind
cue digging in dirt naked hands joined to make a sacred shovel
cue poplar
cue magnolia
cue crow
cue roots bruised and battered – lifted into light
cue flesh – scarred songs singing
This piece was prompted by reading the lyrics and listening to the song Strange Fruit, written by Abel Meeropol as a protest poem, and performed by Billie Holiday, who performed it first in 1939. Please click here for more information on the creation of this song, and its legacy that penetrates into today.
VANESSA SHIELDS, writer 
cool!
On Sun, Jan 31, 2021 at 12:03 PM VANESSA SHIELDS, writer wrote:
> Vanessa Shields posted: ” Strange Fruit cue hatecue trumpet lickcue Shipp > and Smithcue piano poundcue photographcue trembling mouthcue protest > poemcue guttural voice cue muse moving in music dripping blood-stained past > raging in the now of what will always mattercue reachin” >
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Thanks Vanessa,
This is so powerful! I love Billie Holiday’s voice, her music! This poem is just great!
>
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