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

My Wise Country Cousin on Blak Folk an de 8 yr Blues…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
15 Jul 2015
🖨️ Print Article

by BAR's poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

With the clock ticking down on Barack Obama's presidency,
black America discovers it was a marriage of conveninece.
And not ours.

My Wise Country Cousin on Blak Folk an de 8 yr Blues…

by BAR's poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

If you axe me, son, Blak folk got a bad case ob 8 yr Blues
Nuthin’ lak Leadbelly, B.B., Muddy— nuthin’ I can use:

“We in lub wit a wo’ crimnul, but he ain’t in lub wit us
We in lub wit a wo’ crimnul, but he ain’t in lub wit us
His mine on de Koch Bros., Buffit ,’in gawd we truss’

We in lub wit a wo’ crimnul, but he ain’t lubbin us bak
We in lub wit a wo’ crimnul, but he ain’t lubbin us bak
Way he treat us, sumtime, feel lak a sin to be bo’n blak

Wo’ crimnul cum creepin’ roun,’ ‘bout ebry fo’ years
Wo’ crimnul cum creepin’ roun,’ ‘bout ebry fo’ years
Res de time, he in de guardin wit Po-po, sippin’ beers

Got no time fo us, he busy chasin’ Al K. Duh, I. Sool
Got no time fo us, he busy chasin’ Al K. Duh, I. Sool—
Didn’t know betta, we swear he playin’ us fo’ de fool!

Knew our wo’ crimnul was no gud, runnin’ wit dat AG
Knew our wo’ crimnul was no gud, runnin’ wit dat AG
Dey should be stylin’ orange jump sootz, if you axe me

Dat ol’ AG boy jus’ wase all de freakwent-flyur mileage
Dat ol’ AG boy jus’ wase all de freakwent-flyur mileage
Flappin his flappers at funruls— cheesin’ liar smile-age…

He lak tits on a bull, sayin’ dat Dem big boyz too big to jail
He lak tits on a bull, sayin’ dat Dem big boyz too big to jail
But, he listenin’ to us conversate, an he be openin’ our mail!

We’s gonna leeb Dem no gud mens sum day, de lawd willin’…
We’s gonna leeb Dem no gud mens sum day, de lawd willin’…
Toozday, dey stay out all day an’ nite wit Dem drones, killin’

Feel lak we ben commun law, jes shackin’ up fo’ 8 long years
Feel lak we ben commun law, jes shackin’ up fo’ 8 long years
Dem men’s giffs: wo,’  fouclosur, poleez murdur, lies an’ tears…”

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


  • Laith Marouf and the Struggle to Defend Palestine
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Laith Marouf and the Struggle to Defend Palestine
    23 Sep 2022
    Laith Marouf is Policy Consultant with the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC) in Montreal and a long-time defender of Palestine and the rights of Palestinian people. He has been publicly attacked…
  • The Prosecution of Abuse Survivor Tracy McCarter
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    The Prosecution of Abuse Survivor Tracy McCarter
    23 Sep 2022
    Samah Sisay is an attorney and an organizer with the group Survived and Punished, which advocates for the rights of criminalized survivors. She joins us from New York City to discuss the case of…
  • Felony Convictions and Voting Rights
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Felony Convictions and Voting Rights
    23 Sep 2022
    Across the United States, people with past felony convictions may have severely restricted access to the franchise and in some cases may be denied the right to vote forever. Blair Bowie is senior…
  • Asylum, Migration and U.S. Foreign Policy
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Asylum, Migration and U.S. Foreign Policy
    21 Sep 2022
    Immigration rules are often determined by U.S. foreign policy. Citizens of nations under U.S. attack, such as Venezuela, are made eligible for asylum. Haitians suffer under U.S. dictates but are…
  • MANIFESTO: The Anti-Racist Manifesto of Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, 2020
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    MANIFESTO: The Anti-Racist Manifesto of Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, 2020
    21 Sep 2022
    The Anti-Racist Manifesto of Puerto Rico’s Colectiva Feminista en Construcción (La Cole) outlines a radical solution to capitalism, colonialism, and climate change.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us