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

The Unemployment Question(s)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
04 Feb 2014
🖨️ Print Article

by Raymond Nat Turner

Livin’ on nothin’, while hunger works full time

No wonder, some brothers stumble into crime.

 

The Unemployment Question(s)

by Raymond Nat Turner

 

Licking bitter flaps on unemployment envelopes

somewhere under the rainbow

Lies

true hues

in bright Red,

Black

and dark Blues:

 

Drawin’ unemployment’s like drawin’ straws

Drawin’ unemployment’s like drawin’ straws

We come up short under rich folks’ laws.

 

Livin’ on nothin’, while hunger works full time

Livin’ on nothin’, while hunger works full time

No wonder, some brothers stumble into crime.

 

And the rich cry, “...crime, crime, crime” every day

And the rich cry, “...crime, crime, crime” every day

While cocaine’s trafficked by the C-I-A.

 

We been slavin’ fo’ the mastahs and what we git?

We been slavin’ fo’ the mastahs and what we git?

Stack-o-papers to fill out, askin’ dumb shit!

 

“State here the reason you’re out of work.”

“Answer the following then report to the clerk.”

“Will you accept work in your usual trade?”

“What’s your income with benefits paid?”

“Do you own a farm, or a ranch?”

“Do you have a savings? What branch?”

“Did you look for work all this past week?”

“Where did you go, with whom did you speak?”

“Are you a citizen of the U.S.?”

“If answering ‘No’, then why not ‘Yes’?”

“Have a seat and wait to be seen”

“Any questions about what we mean?”

“Anyone in line who voluntarily quit?”

“Step out — go over there and sit”

“Sorry, you can’t be seen until ten —”

 

“Provided, you fill this out for WIN...”

 

We been slavin’ fo’ the mastahs and what we git?

We been slavin’ fo’ the mastahs and what we git?

Appointment

with

revolution

When we fit…

 

Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at upsurgejazz.com.

 

Raymond Nat Turner © 1986 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


  • Leah Goodridge
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    New York Rent Protections Under Attack by Landlords and the Supreme Court
    03 May 2024
    Leah Goodridge joins us from New York to discuss the latest effort by landlords to do away with New York City's rent protections.
  • NAARPR
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Police Killings Continue in Chicago
    03 May 2024
    Frank Chapman joins us from Chicago to discuss the recent police killing of Dexter Reed.
  • Sarah Jama in Parliament
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Canadian Politician Under Attack for Palestine Solidarity
    03 May 2024
    El Jones joins us to discuss the case of Sarah Jama, a member of Ontario’s provincial parliament, who has been banned from wearing a keffiyeh while in that legislature and censured for expressing…
  • Map of occupied Palestine and surrounding region
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist , Danny Haiphong , BAR contributor
    Iran just Scored HUGE Victory over Israel and the IDF will be Destroyed
    01 May 2024
    Margaret Kimberley joined Danny Haiphong in China to react to developments in Iran and Israel's ongoing war escalations and what this means about the future of waning US dominance in the region and…
  • Students for Justice in Palestine
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Repression of Campus Palestine Solidarity Reveals the Nature of the State
    01 May 2024
    Campus protests in solidarity with Palestine have been met with brute police force and condemnation of the participants. Their mobilization is a threat to the political system, which cannot operate…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us