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 The State Machine’s Machinegun-Totin’ Cops… 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
20 Aug 2014
🖨️ Print Article

by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner

Dey got Glocks, pumps, tasirs, peppurspray, vess—
White magik fo’ conjurin’ cases ob “resisin’ aress!”

My Wise Country Cousin on The State Machine’s Machinegun-Totin’ Cops… 

by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner

Look lak de Daltuns, Youngas an ol’ James gangs
Is resirrecit, an’ up ridin’ again, doin’ dey thangs—
Bowdin’ de D train wit machinegun-totin’ police
Dey needin’ dat firepower fo’ “keepin’ de peace?”
‘Less Al Kater on de A, Boocoo Harome on de B
Dem damn machineguns make no sense, to me…
‘Less Eyesool on de C, an’ Eyesis down on de D
Dem damn machineguns make no sense, to me…
Dey got Glocks, pumps, tasirs, peppurspray, vess—
White magik fo’ conjurin’ cases ob “resisin’ aress!”

Dey shoutin’ night an’ day‘bout Eyesool and Eyesis
Coverin’ up de fac dey sistum’s tremblin’ wit crisis:
Workin’ folk tired ob takeaways an’ myzerly charity
Caint take much mo’ ob dese heists called awesterity—
Son, I tolt you once, tolt you twice, dis makes thrice
Dis a police state Negroz an’ liberuls call ‘paradice!’

Dey got C-Is, Demografick Units an Mosk Crawlers,
Ebben mens among trash hallers, an’ cable installers…
Now, it lookin’ lak to me dat Bloody Billy Bratton
Is bringin’ dat ol’ SS mess up here in Manhattun…
Sho lookin’ lak what de youngtaz be callin’ po-po
Is jes de Furor’s ol’ gang ob thugs de Gustop-po—
Well, so much fo’ hare-splittin,’ ackademik debate,
It pas’ time fo’ callin’ dis muthafucka a police state!

Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at Raymond (at) upsurgejazz.com
Raymond Nat Turner © 2105 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


  • Black Agenda Radio
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio May 31, 2024
    31 May 2024
    This week, we speak to the author of a book on the worldwide liberation struggles of African people and Margaret Kimberley discusses her recent briefing to the United Nations Security Council. But…
  • Gerald Horne
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    International Impact of Israel's Ongoing War Crimes
    31 May 2024
    Dr. Gerald Horne joins us from Houston to discuss the International Court of Justice's order for Israel to cease operations in Rafah and Israel's bombing of a refugee camp there soon after.
  • Roger McKenzie
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    African Uhuru: the Fight for African Freedom in the Rise of the Global South
    31 May 2024
    Roger McKenzie joins us from Oxford to discuss his new book, African Uhuru: the Fight for African Freedom in the Rise of the Global South.
  • Political misfits
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Ukraine and the Threat to World Peace: a United Nations Briefing
    31 May 2024
    Margaret Kimberley recently joined Political Misfits to discuss her recent experience briefing the United Nations Security Council on threats to international peace about the ongoing proxy war in…
  • Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Biden Sliding Towards World War III
    29 May 2024
    The idea of a world war should not be relegated to science fiction. Western escalations in Ukraine could lead to conflict with a nuclear power.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us