Strange Fruit

Billy Holiday sent a message with her poem about how the Southerners brutely killed the blacks. The poem starts by saying, "blood on the leaves and blood at the root, black body swingin in the southern breeze." The message in the first part of the poem, is that the white people beat up the blacks and then they are hung,killed, and the tree is now growing with their blood. The second part is saying that the body is swaying in the wind, going back and forth as the body had buldging eyes and a twisted mouth. The "strange fruit" in the end of the poem is the dead bodies becoming part of the earth again, but in a way that you wouldn't expect. Billy Holiday made the South look beautiful, but then went on to say they were killing blacks in a disgusting and cruel way. Reading this poem made me realize both sides of what was going on between the Southerners and the blacks. The white people thought they were doing something right for society, when they actually weren't. Then the blacks who were being targeted weren't able to fight back without being hung or beat up. The main message was that the South thought it was a beautiful and noble place, when in reality it was a disgusting and terrible act towards the black people.

Vocab story 1

Way back when I was a young boy I had gone to a magical land called Gumdrop Island; and that is where my story begins. My parents never believed me when I told them about the Island, until I took them there one day. On the Island there were little dwarfs with pointy ears and firery red hair. They may have looked innocuous, but thoes dwafs sure could beat you up. The first time I had visited the Gumdrop Island the oldest dwarf decided to kick me in the leg and drag me to a jail. I didn't think I was doing anything wrong, except that I relized I was about four feet taller than them and look like I was masquerading as a dwarf killer. While they had me locked me up in the jail I took some maiming blows. The second time I got head butted in the gut and my toes choped off. Not only my toes choped off but my finger nails ripped off. After being in the jail for about two weeks I really got to thinking, maybe I should let them know I am not here to harm them? I felt I wasn't wanted here and maybe I should head home. All I could say to that thought was " I think I might have a chance here and I want to show these dwarfs I can help them and do something for them." I went to the head dwarf and tried to enlighten him about who I was and how I could help them so they could keep there gumdrops so sugary and colorful. At first he thought I was lying to him but once I showed him all the wonderful colors besides blue and red, he loved the idea of letting me stay. I never thought that my aplomb level would go back up. When I had first arrived at the island I felt I didn't belong and they didn't want me there. But now I know I have a place to be where I don't have to do chores, go to school, or brush my teeth before bed.