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

A Poet's Proposal for DT's Inauguration
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
10 Jan 2017
🖨️ Print Article

by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

Word is that president-elect Donald Trump still has performance openings for next week's inaugural. In the selfless and noble spirit of public service, our poet kindly offers his own services, and anxiously awaits a response from Rump tower.

A Poet's Proposal for DT's Inauguration

by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

Bet you wonderin’ how I knew

Few are willin’ to perform for you?

I heard it through the grapevine

Also on TV, radio and online…

I ain’t A-list—

F-list, maybe?

Not a seven-figga n**** or War House Hoet in the

Retinue the Drone Ranger plays like plastic kazoos—

Yet, I’m willing to serve, sir:

Call it Patriot Act III!

Willing to audition, practice, rehearse—gratis—

get on the back of a Greyhound bus, brown bag,

greasy fried chicken, like the good ol’ days…

Apply a plastic smile, applaud on cue, shuffle, shake hands with

Strong-arm Williams, Sheriff Stephen Judas Clarke, Thom-ass

Clarence, and other warlike Bassackwards Tribal leaders

I’m willing to get William Withers with you, sir:

It’s my appointed duty

To let you use me

Get me in a crowd of right-wing racists and act real rude to me—

‘Cause I wanna spread the news:

That if it trends this good gettin’ used

Come on, use me ‘til you use me up—

My fifteen-minutes of FLAME!!

Raymond Nat Turner is an acclaimed poet and performance artist. Find more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com.

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


More Stories


  • Urgent Solidarity With Haiti Is Needed
    Margaret Flowers
    Urgent Solidarity With Haiti Is Needed
    17 Feb 2021
    “President” Jovenel Moïse has dismantled the democratic institutions of the state and rules unilaterally with the support of the police, military and western allies.
  • For Biden Administration, Black Lives Don’t Matter in Haiti!—A BAP Statement on Haiti
    Black Alliance For Peace
    For Biden Administration, Black Lives Don’t Matter in Haiti!—A BAP Statement on Haiti
    17 Feb 2021
    The new US administration has already shown its support for paramilitary terror and political suppression in Haiti.
  • Black Liberation in Context: Political Prisoner Speaks on Torture at 2005 Human Rights Conference
    Sundiata Acoli
    Black Liberation in Context: Political Prisoner Speaks on Torture at 2005 Human Rights Conference
    17 Feb 2021
    Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army political/prisoner of war Sundiata Acoli told human rights activists “torture is nothing new” in U.S.
  • Medical Racism Has Shaped U.S. Policies for Centuries
    Deirdre Cooper Owens
    Medical Racism Has Shaped U.S. Policies for Centuries
    17 Feb 2021
    A Black medical truth-teller traces the link between a 1793 yellow fever epidemic and today’s coronavirus racial disparities.
  • DNA and Our Twenty-First-Century Ancestors
    Duana Fullwiley
    DNA and Our Twenty-First-Century Ancestors
    17 Feb 2021
    Home DNA ancestry kits include no ancestors, instead comparing customers to other present-day people based on assumptions about race and ethnicity. 
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us