RETURN TO THE STRANGE FRUIT TREES

RETURN TO THE STRANGE FRUIT TREES

He walked through the fields of trees, grandson in tow,

Tears forming in his eyes, “Papa whatcha crying for?”,

Fawned memories of the past rushed through, in a daze,

He remembered running through those trees like it was yesterday,

Darkest of nights lit up from the houses a blaze,

“Don’t look back, I know they’re after me”,

He opened his eyes to see,

The bounty of strange fruit hanging from every trees,

He slowed down when he saw one that was still ripe,

He pushed and pulled fighting to get the fruit from it’s tree,

The more he fought for it, he knew the shorter it’s life would be,

He let go, pain and hungry filled the void in his heart,

The sound of dogs barking gets him back on his path,

His grandson pulls on his arm, it brings him out of the trance,

“Papa what’s wrong”, he said with emotional stress,

“Son, Lady Day sang it best to me“,

“There were some Strange Fruit, swinging from those trees“…..