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


  • Gerald Horne
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Dr. Gerald Horne Discusses the Crises of Imperialism
    22 Mar 2024
    Dr. Gerald Horne joins us to discuss US/Israeli policy driving the war crimes and genocide in Gaza. We also discuss the U.S. proxy war in Ukraine and other international issues.
  • Proposition F
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    San Francisco Criminalized Poverty
    22 Mar 2024
    Jemma Decristo joins us to discuss the passage of Proposition F in San Francisco and the criminalization of poverty and drug use.
  • Jemima
    Jemima Pierre, BAR Editor and Contributor
    2024 REVOLUTION In Haiti Against US Empire! The Full (Hi)Story Of The Uprising | Prof. Jemima Pierre
    20 Mar 2024
    Haiti has been the "laboratory of neo-colonialism" since at least 1915. At the moment, Haitians are again revolting and striving to shake off the yoke of European and American oppressors. Listen to…
  • Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    TikTok and Israel
    20 Mar 2024
    The TikTok social media platform is an indicator of U.S. imperialist angst and an incentive for greed. First China was a political target and now Zionists are on the attack in an effort to suppress…
  • Map of the Caribbean
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    ESSAY: Destabilization in the Caribbean: An Overview, Samori Marksman, 1980
    20 Mar 2024
    Legendary Pan-Africanist and Marxist journalist, Samori Marksman provides a powerful archive of the scale and scope of nefarious US actions in the Caribbean region. 
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us