April 22nd - Saffron

Eight of Clubs - Saffron
13 - Hip-Hopera (detail)

Samples from:

Donovan* - "Mellow Yellow"
Conershop - "Who Fingered Rock and Roll"

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A little yellow flower
With power unequaled
Tastes like honey
More than money
The world's just mad about saffron
Or it was
For medicine or makeup
Salves and sacrifice
Cleopatra put it in her bath
To make her lips divine
Alexander liked it on his rice or in his wine
Persian merchants pushed it
Sand worn faces hid
The kings in England planted it
At least their slaves' slaves did
People warred for it
Whored for it
Some gave even more for it
Caught diluting for their take
They burned them at the stake
And most of the coveters
Had nothing to show for it
When the black plague came
There were none left to grow for it
Those who truly tasted it
Dropped caste for it
Found a decent place to hide
But most who could just wasted it
A yellow mark of pride
Landed Brahmin gentlemen would just dump it in the street
Whenever Nero entered Rome they spread saffron at his feet

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Quite rightly