Down the road,I'm seein', trees are in bloom,
seem all to barren, 'cept for gloom,
where the sobbin' of babies and mournin' of lovers
aint no way roun', no explanation covers,
all the ugliness there, ain' no good repute,
cuz them trees in the south, gotta bitter fruit.
Sure, they say time is comin' when they gonna see change
I don't see how, all I see is pain,
when the hand is crushin' all your hopin' and dreamin'
you aint got no chance, no reason to be schemin'
no ones got much to offer, but a cuff an' a boot,
an' the noose for the tree bearin' such bitter fruit.
So go hide in the kitchen, use the back door,
remember your place, don't ask for no more.
Be a good lil darky and you'll live to old age,
that's what you're hearin' through your pain an' rage.
It's sorrowful darlin', right from the root,
but that tree you been climbin' got a bitter fruit.
Author notes
Inspired by Billy Holiday's Bitter Fruit.
In a list
A contest entry
- Billie Holiday Inspiration by Kari.
600 points, ended June 10, 2008, 7 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
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This left me speechless. Wow.
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Thankyou so much for letting me enter your contest. Billy Holiday has always been one of my favorite jazz singers, and it was an honor to write something with her in mind and to have someone think it was worthy of her.
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