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

Buzzed In By Lewis
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
01 Feb 2018
🖨️ Print Article

5 in the morning, ‘The Lewis Sawyer Experience’
early morning Boys Club in Papa Sawyer’s Cave:
My lick for Lewis, “Lewis Sawyer, is my lawyer—”
his classic chuckle-comeback, “Well, you’re in bad shape then!”
Poets and last words, “Well, David McBurney is my attorney…”
But Lewis was a bullhorn, shouting names of our Political Prisoners,
Prisoners Of War, languishing forgotten in gulags across imprisoned
nation. He put 59,000 watts beneath their wings,without fanfare—
While reminding us: we’re just in Minimum Security…

Being buzzed in to the Mother Ship by Lewis
felt safe, welcome—presence appreciated—in
Good hands, a trillion times more reliable than Allstate
Lewis was the first face I’d see at the station—
unerring source for five-star information

Warmth was his uniform; his smile his badge,
reflecting respect back like a mirror from the
Mountaintop: all the authority a badass Angel,
sweet scientist, who could handle ‘situations…’
Required; I emerged from ‘Lewis Sawyer Experiences’
with double shot expresso optimism

A modest, minimalist, Monk life-stylist—
Count Basie of Kindness—
Not a whole lot of notes there
but his voicings sung and swung;
Duke Ellington of Passion:
Things he loved, he loved madly—
speaking of love—Lewis was LOVE
Not a mushy, gushy, sentimental bubblegum LOVE
But, an I believe in you, when no one else believes LOVE
I honor your light, anything I can do to amplify it LOVE
As you stand on stage, I’ll sit in the audience LOVE
Anything you need early in the morning LOVE
Release your worry beads, I got your back LOVE
Harness your hardships, “too big to fail” LOVE

Let’s suppose that place
preachers speak of Sundays
Exists; suppose I make the cut—
I bet Lewis will be there buzzing me in… Lewis Sawyer:
Presente!

poetry

More Stories


  • illustration of women political figures
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    International Working Women's Day
    07 Mar 2025
    Participants in an International Working Women's Day webinar explain the importance of the day in building international solidarity.
  • Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Liberals Want War in Ukraine, Trump Wants Peace in Ukraine, But All Agree on Death in Gaza
    05 Mar 2025
    Donald Trump’s efforts to normalize relations with Russia, and to end the fighting in the Ukraine proxy war are logical and sensible. But years of whipped up anti-Russia hatred make logical solutions…
  • Mary McLeod Bethune
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    DOCUMENT: My Last Will and Testament, Mary McLeod Bethune, 1955
    05 Mar 2025
    Mary McLeod Bethune’s testament to a good, ethical life.
  • Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    Commemorate Genocide against the People of DR Congo
    05 Mar 2025
    The Congolese Action Youth Platform (CAYP) is campaigning for the recognition of the Genocide against the people of DR Congo to be commemorated on August 2nd, the anniversary of Rwanda and Uganda’s…
  • Elon Musk
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    Is this ‘Constructive Engagement' 2.0— Or, Freddo frontin’ for Heil tech Hitler?
    05 Mar 2025
    "Constructive Engagement 2.0— or Freddo frontin’ for heil-tech Hitler?" is the latest from BAR's Poet-in-Residence.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us