southern trees bear strange fruit
blood at 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
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
the sun to rot the tree to drop
here is a strange and bitter crop