C. Patrice Ares-Christian’s poetry gives voice to those who are unable to tell their stories, be they ancestors or those who are historically silenced and marginalized voices. “blackfruit” melds the haunting lyrics/melody of “Strange Fruit” with lynching and violence against black bodies to articulate the silent rage/profound sadness felt by American blacks in the U.S. In so doing, the poem illustrates how the history of racial violence is the present reality of racial violence.