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


  • Frank Chapman
    Frank Chapman Calls on Communities to Unite and Oppose Racist Attacks on Migrants
    13 Mar 2024
    Frank Chapman calls on Black and Brown communities in Chicago to unite in struggle against the forces that oppress us all.
  • Joe Biden collage
    K.J. Noh 
    US Readies 'Transnational Kill Chain' For Taiwan Proxy War
    13 Mar 2024
    The U.S. is putting into place the final pieces to spark another proxy war, this time in Taiwan.
  • Black Agenda Radio
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio March 8, 2024
    08 Mar 2024
    A discussion about violence against a Black woman in the Black liberation movement and the political actions planned for this summer's upcoming nominating conventions. First, the story of a professor…
  • An Honest Living
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Steven Salaita's An Honest Living: A Memoir of Peculiar Itineraries
    08 Mar 2024
    Steven Salaita talks to us about his new book, "An Honest Living: A Memoir of Peculiar Itineraries", a story about his life following his termination from a tenured professorship due to his…
  • Poor Peoples Army
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    The Poor People's Army Mobilizes in 2024
    08 Mar 2024
    Cheri Honkala and Shamako Noble from the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign join to discuss the work of their organization and their planned actions at the Democratic and…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us