Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Baltimore Fries
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
01 Jul 2015
🖨️ Print Article

by BAR poet in residence Nathaniel Turner

No fries for Ferguson, no burgers
For Baltimore—have it your way…

Baltimore Fries

by BAR poet in residence Nathaniel Turner

Had they just stood down, and forgot Mike Brown—
Ignored Freddie Gray and just civilly strolled away
Eschewing genocidal violence that crosses the line—
At least cut carnage of their thuggish protests’ to 9
Heading home awaiting the arresting officers’ knock
With no flash-bangs, no A-Rs— just holstered Glock
Peacefully entering black homes and arresting them,
Reading them their rights, bulletproof-vesting them
Under color of law and done fitting and done proper—
Then they, too, just might have dined on Whopper!

No corporate, confederate-FOX, psy-war lore,
No heroic blonde man-of-war, would-be-Boer,
No compassion, camaraderie, or esprit de corps—
No fries for Ferguson, no burgers for Baltimore!

It’s because rebellious Black youth acted like thugs
Wearing the wrong patches and wrong colored mugs
Why, the Commander even said so—make no mistake,
No Mickey D, no Burger King and no fries, no shake,
No Popeye, no Colonel Sanders, no Wendy’s, no Jack
For Black working-class kids out there fighting back!

No corporate, confederate-FOX, psy-war lore,
No heroic blonde man-of-war, would-be-Boer,
No compassion, camaraderie or esprit de corps—
No fries for Ferguson, no burgers for Baltimore!

                 

Understand why the copper
                 Felt it fitting and proper
                 Treating a B K Whopper                  To the pop-pop-popper?

Raymond Nat Turner © 2015 All Rights Reserved

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Decolonizing the Mind
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Decolonizing the Mind
    14 Sep 2022
    The word decolonization should not be treated as trendy slang. It describes an important political and psychological process. Media and state attempts at indoctrination show just how…
  • ESSAY: Behind the Mau Mau: George Padmore, 1953
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    ESSAY: Behind the Mau Mau: George Padmore, 1953
    14 Sep 2022
    George Padmore’s account of British rule and Black resistance in Kenya reminds us that “Queen” Elizabeth is both the symbol and beneficiary of the savagery of colonialism and white supremacy.
  • The Sickness of the American Left and the Path to Recovery
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    The Sickness of the American Left and the Path to Recovery
    14 Sep 2022
    Leftist action and analysis are most needed now that capitalism is beset by many crises, but clarity of thought and revolutionary discipline are often lacking.
  • There go Ol’ Schmo again…
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    There go Ol’ Schmo again…
    14 Sep 2022
    There go Ol’ Schmo again…
  • BAR Book Forum: Maano Ramutsindela, Frank Matose, and Tafadzwa Mushonga’s Book, “The Violence of Conservation in Africa”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Maano Ramutsindela, Frank Matose, and Tafadzwa Mushonga’s Book, “The Violence of Conservation in Africa”
    14 Sep 2022
    This week’s featured authors are Maano Ramutsindela, Frank Matose, and Tafadzwa Mushonga. Ramutsindela is Professor of Geography in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science at the…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us