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

A Poet's Proposal for DT's Inauguration
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
10 Jan 2017
šŸ–Øļø Print Article

by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

Word is that president-elect Donald Trump still has performance openings for next week's inaugural. In the selfless and noble spirit of public service, our poet kindly offers his own services, and anxiously awaits a response from Rump tower.

A Poet's Proposal for DT's Inauguration

by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

Bet you wonderin’ how I knew

Few are willin’ to perform for you?

I heard it through the grapevine

Also on TV, radio and online…

I ain’t A-list—

F-list, maybe?

Not a seven-figga n**** or War House Hoet in the

Retinue the Drone Ranger plays like plastic kazoos—

Yet, I’m willing to serve, sir:

Call it Patriot Act III!

Willing to audition, practice, rehearse—gratis—

get on the back of a Greyhound bus, brown bag,

greasy fried chicken, like the good ol’ days…

Apply a plastic smile, applaud on cue, shuffle, shake hands with

Strong-arm Williams, Sheriff Stephen Judas Clarke, Thom-ass

Clarence, and other warlike Bassackwards Tribal leaders

I’m willing to get William Withers with you, sir:

It’s my appointed duty

To let you use me

Get me in a crowd of right-wing racists and act real rude to me—

ā€˜Cause I wanna spread the news:

That if it trends this good gettin’ used

Come on, use me ā€˜til you use me up—

My fifteen-minutes of FLAME!!

Raymond Nat Turner is an acclaimed poet and performance artist. Find more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com.

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • DEPLATFORMED
    Jacqueline Luqman
    Leftists Embracing Imperialist Narratives Laid The Groundwork For This Wave Of Censorship
    18 Oct 2023
    So-called leftists allowed themselves to be bamboozled by the Russiagate narrative. Great damage has been done to journalism, particularly that of the Black left, who are at great risk of being…
  • Child in a hospital in Gaza
    Haidar Eid
    From Gaza We Ask You to Stand Up Against Genocide!
    18 Oct 2023
    Depriving human beings of food, water, and electricity is a war crime. Exacting collective punishment of civilian populations is also a war cime. The U.S./Israeli attack on Gaza is a genocide by…
  • Nakba Day Commemoration
    Essam Elkorghli
    Genocide and Imperialism in Palestine: A Call for People’s Action!
    18 Oct 2023
    Genocide and Imperialism in Palestine: A Call for People’s Action!
  • Netanyahu holding up a map of the Middle East with occupied Palestine marked as "Israel"
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    ESSAY The Creation of a Zionist State, African American Solidarity Committee, 1973
    18 Oct 2023
    The latest intensification of the attack on the Palestinian people demonstrates that Zionism is white supremacy’s last stand.
  • Palestinian flag
    The Editors
    Palestine 2023: Black Agenda Report Special Issue
    18 Oct 2023
    Black Agenda Report gives special attention to events in Palestine, as Israel continues its occupation of Gaza and practices the war crime of exacting collective punishment on a civilian population.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us