4by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner
Why, dey otta hab logos on dey suits
Tellin’ de wurl how deys in cahoots—
Maybe den dem lil’ Negroz unnerstan
Dat logo leaduhs is workin’ fo’ de ‘man?’
My Wise Country Cousin on Logo Leaders
by BAR poet-in-residence Raymond Nat Turner
Off wit smokin’ jackit, silk pajamuh
Fo’ photo-ops, posin’ in Alabamuh
But, frum ebry thang I hear an I see
Dey is still de blak booze-wah-zee—
Corprit as de summa day is long
Lak two lef shooz, deys jus wrong!
Dey’s de wurs ob de bottum feeduhs
Dats, why I calls dem logo leaduhs!
Why, dey otta hab logos on dey suits
Tellin’ de wurl how deys in cahoots—
Maybe den dem lil’ Negroz unnerstan
Dat logo leaduhs is workin’ fo’ de ‘man?’
Dem logo leaduhs ain’t about much
‘Cept, co-optin ebry thang dey touch
Why, dem Negroz de lowest ob de low
How dey turn a march into a trade show?
I dun tolt you, son, it ain’t no mistree—
Dey wrote de book on re-writin’ histree!
Dem Negroz is puttin’ us all in danguh
Infestin’ Selma wit de Drone Ranguh!
How a man killin’ folk ebry Toozday,
Deliverin’ families’ wurs bad news day,
Hab de nerb enuf to invok de Norf Star?
Constetushallnull lawya dey shud disbar!
How he gon’ fix his mouf ‘bout non-vilunz
Wen Occupy an’ Blak Lives Matter:…silunz?
How he gon’ fix his mouf ‘bout non-vilunz,
Wen Libyuh an’ Seerya I jus’ hear: …silunz?
He talkin’ an’ gestrin lak he channlin’ Dr. Kang—
You rekun dem drones wud be de Dr.’s thang?
Dem lil’ Negroz jus’ crawl frum unda a rock?
Why caint dey see de Commanduh a Warlock?
When dem lil’ Negroz gon’ wake dem sefs up—
Quit shakin’ de spare change beleef cup…?
Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at Raymond (at) upsurgejazz.com
Raymond Nat Turner © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Malcolm X understood that “oppressed peoples must commit themselves to radical political struggle in order to advance a dignified approach to human rights.” What’s needed is a bottom-up mass movement…
"A few lines for the Poet Ojenke..." is the latest from BAR's Poet-in-Residence.
The Israeli army has intensified attacks on hospitals as part of the new operation, which aims to displace the entire population of Gaza.
The Trump administration opens a new ICE detention center in New Jersey’s biggest city and a hub for immigrant communities, earning a bold response from immigrant rights organizers.
In this week’s segment, we discuss the modern history of Black politics in the city of Newark, New Jersey, after the death of a long-serving former mayor and the arrest and brief detention of the…
