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Happy Friday the 13th, my buttercreams!
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diachrony and tkp, it's also Ron Perlman's birthday today!! YAY!! He's 57, can you believe it? OMG, I love him so much!!
It's a very pretty day here in SoCal and I am looking forward to spending the weekend in the park feeding baby food to unsuspecting participants. In other words, I'm in charge of games at a baby shower tomorrow for my BFF. I'm going to be a god mama ya'll! Can you believe it? Me neither.
I've accomplished very little today at work that didn't involve LJ, email and the baby shower, but hey, it's Friday after all. If I can't get my boss to agree, then I'm going to make a quick exit shortly.
Now your poem for today was written by Abel Meerpol under the pseudonym Lewis Allan. He later put it to music and it was performed mostly famously by Billie Holiday as the closing number of one of her dinner club acts. My favorite version is sung passionately by Nina Simone.
I find it haunting, tragic and very chilling.
Strange Fruit by Lewis Allan
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
diachrony and tkp, it's also Ron Perlman's birthday today!! YAY!! He's 57, can you believe it? OMG, I love him so much!!It's a very pretty day here in SoCal and I am looking forward to spending the weekend in the park feeding baby food to unsuspecting participants. In other words, I'm in charge of games at a baby shower tomorrow for my BFF. I'm going to be a god mama ya'll! Can you believe it? Me neither.
I've accomplished very little today at work that didn't involve LJ, email and the baby shower, but hey, it's Friday after all. If I can't get my boss to agree, then I'm going to make a quick exit shortly.
Now your poem for today was written by Abel Meerpol under the pseudonym Lewis Allan. He later put it to music and it was performed mostly famously by Billie Holiday as the closing number of one of her dinner club acts. My favorite version is sung passionately by Nina Simone.
I find it haunting, tragic and very chilling.
Strange Fruit by Lewis Allan
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
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no subject
Date: 2007-04-13 10:19 pm (UTC)From:Ron Perlman could be eating cake right now. But it would only really be interesting with Vincent-voice between bites. He's a very cool guy.
That's a wonderful poem in that it is so terrible. Haunting, as you say. It reads like a song, also, which I really like. Thanks for sharing this.
I love that you put up Across the Universe the other day! That's one of my favorite songs ever.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-17 04:08 pm (UTC)From:Ron Perlman is fabulous! Have you seen The City of Lost Children? It's probably my second favorite Ron Perlman performance after BatB.
Meanwhile, I am exhausted and busy and that sucks because great comments and thinky thoughts in the Body Post. I didn't get a chance to really go through yesterday and I fear I won't make it today, either. Maybe late today. I've got a doctor's appointment and then my weight training class ... But I am SO TIRED!! argh!!!!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-17 04:46 pm (UTC)From:Aww! Poor tired L. Yeah, I read the great comments--what a cool discussion! Hope the doctor's appt goes well...and get some rest!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-17 07:09 pm (UTC)From:I printed it out to read later, possibly while I'm waiting for my doctor's appointment. Can't wait.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-17 07:21 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2007-04-15 02:21 am (UTC)From:A few years ago I read a Vanity Fair article on "Strange Fruit" and while trying to see if I could find the text online (unsuccessfully) I found that article had been expanded into a book by David Margolick (http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Fruit-Biography-David-Margolick/dp/0060959568/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-2832566-8805422?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176603054&sr=1-2).
It's really a chillingly disturbing poem, and beautifully written.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-17 04:10 pm (UTC)From:There was a documentary done on Strange Fruit, I believe, I few years back. I remember it playing at this tiny art house theatre in SoHo. I'll have to get a copy of that book. The poem is so unique and took such an interesting journey.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-17 04:17 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2007-04-17 07:10 pm (UTC)From: